High School Life
by Silver Blue Starshine
Summary: What happens when our beloved FMA characters are in high school? They have to deal with all the pains, joys and whatnots of High School. Pairings: Royai for now... :D Please R&R Chapter 31 is FINALLY up! So sorry for the super long wait!
1. The New Girl

**Hi I'm back! After a month or so… or whatever, here's a brand new fic! And before I go on, credits to Chaotic Lullaby (Kat) for allowing me to write this fic… it was her idea… :D **

**So… this fic isn't set in the FMA world and it's set in a high school in the modern world:D And as always, I do not own all FMA characters in this story… other characters however, are mine, and are somehow based on my teachers. :D So… that's it for now. On with the story!**

**Chapter 1: The New Girl**

It was that time of year again. September. The weather was getting chillier and chillier as each day passed by. The leaves on the trees were starting to turn from their normal green color to different beautiful shades of red, yellow and orange.

It was the first day of school for students studying at Fountain Hill High School. There was excitement in the air as students were chatting and exchanging stories. After all, it has been 3 months since they last saw each other.

However there was a young girl, probably sixteen years old, who was walking by herself. She wasn't talking to anyone, and neither would she stop and talk to someone. Other students ran past her, hoping to be able to chat with their friends or just hoping not to be late on the first day of class. Most of the students were already inside the building as she reached the school compound. She hesitated before going in the gate, straightened out her blue plaid skirt, which was part of the uniform which consisted of a matching blue jacket with the school crest and a white short sleeved blouse. She fixed her long blond hair which was in a neat ponytail. She adjusted her bag, and then with a deep breath,she went through the gates and inside the building.

------

"Um… excuse me, but is Principal Havelock in?" Riza Hawkeye asked as she entered the principal's office of the school.

"Oh yes, he's in there honey. You must be Riza Hawkeye. I'm Ms. Fitzgerald, his secretary." Ms. Fitzgerald stood up and shook hands with Riza. Before the start of classes, Riza was given instructions to proceed to the principal's office on the first day of classes for further instructions.

"Have a seat first, honey… I'll check first if he's free." Riza smiled and sat down on the chair Ms. Fitzgerald pointed at. When she was seated, the secretary left her and entered a door at the end of a rather narrow corridor inside the office. Just a few minutes after she was left alone, the door opened and a male student wearing glasses came in. He too was wearing the school's prescribed uniform: Black pants, polo shirt, a school jacket with the school emblem, and black shoes. When he noticed that she was there, he looked at her, and Riza saw that his eyes were brilliant emerald green.

"Oh, I'm sorry, was I interrupting anything?" He asked. Riza shook her head no.

"New student?" he asked her. This time, Riza nodded yes. He gave a smile. "Well then, welcome to Fountain Hill. I hope you have a great year. I'm Maes Hughes, the student council president." He extended his right hand and Riza shook it and smiled.

"Excuse me first, Ms…"

"Hawkeye. Riza Hawkeye." He nodded and stepped over to the PA System controls which were inside the office. He flipped a few switch while whistling a little tune. Outside, Riza could hear the bell ringing. In fact, that bell was heard all throughout the school: Every hall, every corridor and every classroom. After, he pressed a button and spoke into the microphone.

"Good Morning Fountain Hill students!! This is your student council president Maes Hughes speaking. The morning bell has rung so please proceed to your respective classrooms and your teachers will be checking attendance at exactly 7:30. Class lists can be located on the board beside the faculty rooms. To the students who cannot find their names on the list, please proceed to the Students Council Office, or approach any Students Council member. Late comers will not be tolerated. Thank you and welcome back students!"

He switched of the microphone and flipped the switches. After, he made sure everything was in place before he gave Riza a little wave and a smile and left the office. At that very moment, Ms. Fitzgerald called Riza in.

------

"Sorry you waited for quite some time, Ms. Hawkeye. I see you've already met our very energetic student council president, Maes… Good morning, I am Principal Peter Havelock. Please have a seat." He motioned to a chair in front of his table, and Riza sat there. The office was like any typical principal's office. File cabinets, piles of paperwork, famed photos and certificates and several trophies decorated the room.

"I would like to welcome you to Fountain Hill. Your aunt chose a very fine school for you, considering that we do not accept students who transfer on their third year."

Her Aunt Maybelle. She was the one who brought and took care of Riza after her father died, before sending her to the school. Her mother's siblings, including her aunt, had wanted to remove her from her father's custody ever since her mother passed away. They just thought he was to incompetent to take care of her. Riza didn't hate her father. In fact she loved and cared deeply for him, but she accepted her aunts' decision.

"Your homeroom adviser…" Riza snapped out from her thoughts and listened to Havelock. "…has already given me a copy of your schedule." He said giving her a piece of blue paper with her schedule printed on it. "It also has the names of all your teachers. Here, it is the teachers who go from room to room and not the students. To keep the order, somehow. So you will be in Third Year-A. The best class, most often called the Cream of the Crop class… but I'm sure you will manage, seeing on how you got excellent marks on your entrance exams. There are 8 classes in your year. Now let me tell you that you can be nominated and elected for any class or club position. The school allows students, may they be a transferee or not to run for a class position… only those with failing marks and those under probation are disqualified from running. Now… I think that's all that I have to tell you. I'll have Cora call your homeroom adviser." He picked up his phone and pressed the speed dial for the secretary's phone outside. "Ms. Fitzgerald, kindly call for Ms. Ramirez. Tell her to come to my office." When he had placed the call, he faced her again.

"Now as we wait… do you have any questions, Riza?"

"Just one, sir. You mentioned clubs. You need to pick a club in this school?"

"Oh yes. Here, we give the students a chance to develop their skills. And so we have clubs which are designed to help you improve. They are handled by professionals paid by the school, and of course, you are given a grade according to your performance. We have what we call a 'sign-up day' wherein students are given the freedom to choose their clubs and sign up. There are no try-outs whatsoever as we want to develop every students talents and not only focus on those who are very familiar. We believe that every student has a potential, and not just a select few. Do you understand? Ms. Ramirez will probably brief you on this, and all the same, I will be addressing the student body on that day." Riza nodded and said thanks. She looked at the blue clock on the wall. It was 7:35 already.

Just a few minutes later, somebody knocked on the door, and it opened. There stood a woman, probably a bit short of 5 feet or just exactly 5 feet. She was wearing the teachers' uniform: Brown slacks, a light brown blouse and black shoes with probably a one inch to 2 inch heel. _'Either way…'_ Riza thought. _'…She'd still look short.'_

"Ah, Ms. Ramirez. You've made perfect time… hold on a moment, you looked a bit flushed." Havelock stood up and acknowledged her.

"I'm sorry for that, as I had to run from the Student Council office. Some of the teachers seem to have misplaced…" She raised an eyebrow. "… Their class lists. And so, I had to ask Maes and Roy to reprint copies. I had to leave them for a while to deal with the, let's say, situation."

"You and your team have been working so hard. You could have called up the registrar's office and ask them to reprint the copies." Havelock chuckled. "Anyhow, I'd like you to meet Riza Hawkeye. As you know she will be in your class." Riza stood up, and gave a small smile. Her teacher nodded and faced her.

"Riza Christianna Hawkeye? I heard that you did rather well on your exams. Well, glad to meet you, Ms. Hawkeye. I am Ms. Diane Ramirez, and as you probably know already, I am your homeroom adviser." She extended her right hand, and Riza shook it.

"Well, I guess that's everything. Oh wait… your students' handbook." Havelock said as he opened one of his drawers and pulled out a thin blue book with the name and emblem of the school. "This is the Fountain Hill High school students' handbook. You need to browse it so that you will be familiar with the rules we implement here. But, I assure you that the contents of that book will also be discussed in your homeroom class. So, I guess I'll leave you to Ms. Ramirez. If you have any problems, you may, of course, approach me or her…"

"…Or any of the Student Council Members. I am pretty sure that they will also be able to help you." Ms. Ramirez interjected with a nod. "So, I think we have to proceed to your classroom now. Your classmates might be partying already in my absence." She said in a rather sarcastic tone and with a smirk on her face.

"I agree. Well, it's been nice meeting you, Riza and I hope you have a good first day here." Riza stood up.

"Thank you sir."

Ms. Ramirez nodded and opened the door. She motioned to Riza to follow her and closed the door after she exited the room.

This was it. The start of a new school year, and a new life for Riza.

-------

**Well, that's the first chapter done. In the next few chapters when I introduce the teachers and so… I'll explain where I based them. They are based on my teachers now. ;)**

**So happy reading and please, please review. I just hope you enjoyed it,**


	2. Getting To Know You

Here we go

**I am so sorry… I know I didn't update for a long time. But I'll save my explanations for later. For now, on to the fic. **

**--**

**CHAPTER 2: Getting to Know You**

"I hope you do remember the way to the classroom. I'll ask one of the student council members to tour you around the school, or maybe you can join the new students in the first and second years. Which do you prefer?" 

Ms. Ramirez and Riza were making their way through the corridors of the school. From the principal's office, they walked to the right end of the hallway.

"Probably, I'd like it better if I were alone… I'd feel out of place with a bunch of second and first years." Ms. Ramirez smiled at her reply.

"This corridor is long. If you go to the left from the principal's office, you'd be passing a lot of offices. Some of them are for the Homeroom and Academic Chairman's office, the faculty rooms, and my office, the student council's office is at the end of the hallway, nearest to the exit doors and the stairs. It's known to the students as the _admin lane._ It would make sense right?' Ms. Ramirez told Riza with a smile, one of her eyebrows raised. Riza tried to stifle a giggle, and just smiled and nodded. "Now, since we're going to the right, you have your guidance office, for all your psychological needs…" She continued with her tone of sarcasm. "…the Club Chairman's office, and then the stairs leading to the 2nd floor. Now, the left side of the Admin lane is generally off limits to students not unless you have business with your teachers. Understood?" she said, as they stopped for a bit.

"Yes ma'am. Where exactly is my classroom?"

"On the third floor… quite a hike, but you'll get used to it. The other third year rooms are in the annex building. You're sharing the floor you're in with some second years. It's only third year A, B and C which are in this building. But you can easily be connected to your batch mates using what they call as _the bubble._"

"Er… the bubble, miss?"

"Yes the bubble. I don't know how they got the name though. It looks nothing like a bubble. More like a bridge way with broken plastic glass to me." She said with a smile. "Well, let's go up now, or it'd be more than a party your classmates are having."

**--**

"Ok. Here we are. Go straight and you'll find two of the school's four laboratories and then 2 second year classrooms. Those are your lockers… unfortunately they were painted with a gaudy shade of blue. The color is an eyesore to me. I preferred it when they were painted brown." Ms. Ramirez said. To Riza however, the color looked fine. It was a grayish-blue shade, and not really an eyesore. She was starting to wonder if her teacher had an odd explanation for everything.

"Ok. Now I can hear the noise. Hear that? That of course is coming from your classroom. By now, the other advisers might have reprimanded them. Come on."

They passed two classrooms, and stopped in front of a brown door. Her teacher took down the class list tacked on to the door. She quickly scanned it and went inside. Riza followed her.

As soon as the door opened, people ran to their chairs, so it made even more noise. The room, painted white, had nothing taped on its walls. There was a television set and a computer, for lecture purposes. There was a long blackboard in front, and a cork board and a smaller blackboard at the board. Each student had individual desks, and their own chairs. There were 2 empty desks at the end of the 3rd row, near the wall.

"There's no need to pretend that you were all quiet little angels. I can see your horns now." The students laughed. Riza counted that there were 15 boys and 23 girls. Each wore the prescribed uniform of the school.

"The room is dirty. Fix your books. I don't want them scattered all over the place. You can place them inside the desks, right? You'll get your lockers later during homeroom." A girl raised her hand. Ms. Ramirez nodded, and the girl stood up. She had long, wavy brown hair, neatly tied in a half-ponytail.

"Since you raised your hand, I want you to be first in introducing yourself." Ms. Ramirez said as she turned and wrote her name on the blackboard in a rather lazy script. It read _Ms. Diane Ramirez. World History_. The girl, stood there rooted on the spot, apparently not wanting to go first in introducing herself.

"Errr… never mind, miss… my question's already answered." She said with a sheepish smile as she sat down.

"No, no… I want you to go first." Ms. Ramirez said as she turned and pointed to her with a small smirk. "Go on, we have a new student, so you go first and introduce yourself, and the rest will follow." The other students started to avoid the teacher's eyes and pretended to be busy with fixing their books or whatever acts just to avoid those sharp glares. Riza just stood there, quietly, by the board, once in a while adjusting her bag.

"Even if you avoid my stares, I will still call you, this time, randomly. I have the class list, so I shall just pick." She said glancing at the list. "Well Miss? Go on, start. We're wasting time." Ms. Ramirez said in a rather impatient voice as she pointed to the brown haired girl. She reluctantly stood up, adjusted her jacket, and took a deep breath.

"Um miss, it's okay.. my question's already answered…"

"Are you really that shy? Or it's just because it's the first day? Because if you heard correctly, I asked you to introduce yourself." Ms. Ramirez said with a sly smile.

"Both maybe, miss. I'm sorry.. I might have misheard you."

"Well, we'll see at the end of the year. You are…" She said with another one of her impish grins as she scanned the list in her hand. "… Ms. Norton? Charmaine right? Anyway, thank you for starting off... Now, since most of you are _shy_… I would not want to waste my time on forcing all of you to introduce yourselves…" she emphasized the word shy "… I would like to tell you that shyness, to me, is rather doubtful, especially in boys, so perhaps, I'll ask our new student here to introduce herself. Ms. Hawkeye, kindly introduce yourself to your very shy classmates." She asked in her sarcastic tone. Riza nodded and stepped forward.

"My name is Riza Hawkeye. I'm 16 years old. I recently moved here from a nearby province. I very pleased to meet you all, and I hope we get along well. "

"Very good, Riza. Thank you. Now… you can take your seat, over there in the third row… by the wall. I think somebody's occupying the other desk. I hope you don't mind the seat by the wall." Riza nodded no, before saying thank you and going over to her desk. She didn't mind actually to have a seat by the wall, although what bothered her is that who is the one who sits on the desk beside hers. Before she could wonder more about the person occupying the chair, somebody knocked on the door, and all heads turned to look at the door. The door opened and a guy peeked in. He was a tall person, had what seemed like black eyes, and rather messy raven colored hair. He was carrying a small pile of paperwork and a few books. Ms. Ramirez's face split into a small smile as she greeted him.

"Glad you could finally join us, Mr. Mustang. I was about to send someone to go down to the office and get you. I was just about to check attendance."

"Sorry I'm late, miss. Maes and I just finished printing out the last of the class lists."

"Alright. Go ahead sit down. Oh and Roy, you have a new seatmate. I mean, she's a new student. So do me a favor and will you take her for a little tour of the campus?" She said to him with a wink. He nodded and collected his bag and papers and went over to his seat. Riza noticed that a blond girl was trying to get his attention by discreetly waving and smiling at him, but he pretended not to notice. He got to his desk, and for a moment, Riza's reddish-brown eyes met Mustang's dark blue eyes (she realized it was dark blue and not black). He pulled out his chair and sat down. He arranged the papers on his desk before turning to face Riza. But before he could say anything to her, Ms. Ramirez started calling attendance. So they both faced front and listened attentively.

**--**

After around 15 minutes, Riza glanced at her watch and saw that it was already 8:15. Miss Ramirez had taken out a small schedule from her notebook, which was in a small panel under the television and started writing the class schedule on the board. Everyone, except Riza, who had her schedule already, had taken out their notebooks and started writing it down.

"I'll be saying your schedule out loud, so listen up just in case you don't understand. Clear?" She addressed the class after she finished jotting down the schedule on the board.

"Yes, Miss." The whole class chorused. Ms. Ramirez' eyes narrowed as she looked in the direction of the girl whose name was Hannah Baker. She had black hair in pigtails and glasses and she was busy chatting with her seatmate, a boy with chestnut brown hair.

"Ms. Baker, would you like to repeat my directions, as you were so busy chatting with Mr. Carlton?" The girl paled a bit and the guy immediately faced front. Hannah slowly stood up and cleared her throat.

"M-m-miss… your instructions we-were to li-listen to your in-instructions…"

"Are you still nervous?" Hannah nodded slowly, her face a bright shade of red.

"Sit down. This is warning. Do not talk while I am speaking if it is not important. Now… your schedule is as follows:

_Mondays_

_7:30 – 7:4515 minute homeroom instruction period_

_7:45 – 8:45 Chemistry (Ms. Maureen Carmichael)_

_8:45 – 9:45Geometry (Ms. Rhia Stanley)_

_9:45 – 10:15Recess_

_10:15 – 11:15 English (Ms. Kathlyn Hale)_

_11:15 – 12:15 World History (Ms. Diane Ramirez)_

_12:15 – 1:15Lunch_

_1:15 – 3:15Physical Education (Ms. Anna Song)_

_3:15 Dismissal_

_Tuesday_

_7:30 – 9:30Computer (Mr. Collin Spark)_

_9:30 – 10:00Recess_

_10:00 – 11:00Trigonometry (Ms. Claudeth King)_

_11:00 – 12:00Chemistry _

_12:00 – 1:00 Lunch_

_1:00 – 2:00 Technology and Home Economics (Ms. Colleen Ross)_

_2:00 Dismissal_

_Wednesday_

_7:30 – 8:30Music (Mr. Raphael Davis)_

_8:30 – 9:30World History_

_9:30 – 10:00Recess_

_10:00 – 10:1515 Minutes homeroom instruction period_

_10:15 – 11:15Chemistry_

_11:15 - 12:15Geometry_

_12:15 – 1:15Lunch_

_1:15 – 2:15Trigonometry_

_2:15 – 3:15Arts and Drafting (Ms. Anna Butler)_

_3:15 Dismissal_

"…note, some of you will have Clubs on Wednesday and the others, Thursday. This will be explained to you during the students' assembly for the Juniors which is on… Wednesday."

_Thursday_

_7:30 – 8:30Arts and Drafting_

_8:30 – 9:30English_

_9:30 – 10:00Recess_

_10:00 – 11:00Geometry_

_11:00 – 12:00Technology and Home Economics_

_12:00 – 1:00Lunch_

_1:00 – 2:00Music_

_2:00 – 3:001 hour Homeroom Instruction Period_

_3:00 Dismissal_

_Friday_

_7:30 – 8:30World History_

_8:30 – 9:30 English_

_9:30 – 10:00Recess_

_10:00 – 10:1515 Minute Homeroom Instruction period_

_10:15 – 12:15Chemistry_

_12:15 – 1:15Lunch_

_1:15 – 2:15Geometry_

_2: 15 Dismissal_

"Since today is Monday, and the first day of school, classes are shortened as homeroom is until 9:45. Afterwards, you will have your recess and then your first period, Chemistry. Your teacher will inform you of the changes in the schedule for today. Clear?"

"Yes, Miss." The whole class chorused.

"Now, we move on to your lockers. We won't be checking uniforms today, but there will be surprise inspections within this week. So back to the subject of lockers. You will use the lockers on the right side of the corridor, the one leaning on our classroom wall. The ones by the window are for class B and C. So time check: 8:30. I will give you fifteen minutes to get your stuff in your lockers and fix the classroom. I want you to go to your lockers quietly or we'll go by row, and you might not get your desired locker. And a final reminder. No writing on the locker doors if you don't have your lock today. If you don't have it, then you think of what you will do. Remember your lockers are part of your clearance at the end of the year. Now your fifteen minutes start now."

Everyone stood up, and Ms. Ramirez called Roy and Riza to the front and Ms. Ramirez asked Roy to find Riza a good locker, and also asked him to accompany her on her first day. He nodded and went out to look for their lockers. Riza smiled at her adviser and said thank you before following Roy outside.

**--**

**My apologies for not updating for so long. I blame the work load our teachers gave us these past weeks. cries and goes to her little corner I hope I get to update more… this Christmas break (Hopes to finish her world history project and CL project ASAP) Once again, sorry to keep you guys waiting. And if the output is crappy, I blame the research for Chemistry. Thanks for reading and reviewing. :D Oh and if you want to see the teacher who I used as their homeroom adviser, I have a link to my Livejournal and there is a picture there. Thanks!**

**icy-flares./31557.html#cutid1**

**(scroll down, the third picture. If you see it, I'm the one in Blue, and my teacher is the one in white.) :D**


	3. Trustworthy

I am back

**I am back. And at least, now I have time to write this. Thank you to those who reviewed. :D But I shall not keep blabbing any longer, and on to the next chapter.**

**--**

**Chapter 3: Trustworthy**

"Well that was a long little election. Finally, my favorite part of school: RECESS!!" Roy stepped out of the classroom with Riza walking behind him.

--

After the students picked out their lockers, (Roy got Riza a locker beside his near the lockers on the top row. He made sure she could reach and pull out her books from that height.) they all went back to the classroom, as they had an hour more for their homeroom period. They quietly took their places and saw that on the board were 9 listed positions.

"Class representative, Discipline Chairman, Academic Committee chairman, EFC Chairman, Socio-Cultural Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Beadle and Property Custodian…" Riza whispered as she jotted down the positions on her brown leather notebook glancing once in a while to look at the list. When the last student was seated, Ms. Ramirez got up from her chair behind the teacher's table and went to the front.

"Since I am sure that this IS the final list of students in this class… I think it is fit to pick out or say, elect our temporary class officers. I will tell you that if you are elected today, it will not guarantee that you will be the final officers. It may still change when the time to elect permanent officers come. So I shall now open the nominations for the position of class representative." She picked up a piece of chalk and faced the class again. A girl with reddish hair raised her hand.

"Yes Ms. Lewis?" the teacher called on her without glancing at the list. The girl tried to cover up for her amazement.

"I respectfully nominate Christella Curtis for Class Rep." She flashed Christella, a blond haired girl with beautiful blue eyes, even white teeth and a fair complexion, a big smile. Another girl, whose name was Cornelia Spencer, stood up, and gave a curt nod and smile to Christella.

"I second the nomination." Cornelia sat down as Ms. Ramirez wrote down Christella's name on the blackboard.

"Anyone else interested?" she faced the class again and tossed the chalk upwards and caught it again. A girl wearing red rimmed glasses adjusted the white headband adorning her jet black wavy hair before raising her hand and being acknowledged by the teacher.

"I respectfully nominate… Daniella Montgomery for class representative." She took a breath before sitting down. She looked at the girl named Daniella who gave her a smile of thanks.

"Anyone who would like to second the nomination of Ms. Montgomery by Charmaine Norton?" Ms. Ramirez asked. Silence ensued inside the classroom and from the corner of her eye, Riza saw Christella exchanging handshakes and smiles with her close friends.

"Anyone?"

"I second the nomination, Ms. Ramirez." Riza didn't plan on standing up, but she felt that somehow, Daniella was a better candidate for class representative than Christella. Ms. Ramirez wrote down the new name and Riza sat down. As she sat down, she saw both Charmaine and Daniella give her a big smile. She slowly smiled back. This time, Roy stood up and cleared his throat.

"I move to close the nominations for the position of Class Representative."

"I second the move to close the nominations." Joseph Carlton stood up and seconded. Ms. Ramirez nodded before closing the nominations.

"We need a show of hands, and you are not allowed to vote twice. Clear?" The class answered in chorus before she announced the name of the candidates before allowing the students to vote.

"One… two, three, four, I only need one hand, Mr, Briony, not two. Five…" Ms. Ramirez counted before writing down a clear 27 for Christella.

"Well, we now have a temporary class representative. A round of applause for Ms. Curtis please?" The class clapped, although Riza noticed that Daniella was barely clapping and she saw the reason for that. Christella was sneering at her and mouthing the word 'loser'. She immediately stopped clapping at that.

"Well then, congratulations Christella. You start your job now. Please take over from me, and I'll just facilitate and sit down behind my table." She told Christella before making her way and sitting behind her table. Christella stood up, fixed her school vest and made her way to the front.

"Alright then. Thank you for electing me, and although I am only your temporary class rep, I will try to make you guys happy." She said flashing one of her million dollar smiles. "I now open the nominations for Discipline Chairman." She picked up a piece of pink chalk from the chalk ledge and wrote the position on the board in her very legible handwriting.

"I believe there's only one person fit for the job. I nominate Daniella to be Discipline chairman." Joseph Filmore stood up. This time, Charmaine stood up and seconded the nomination. Christella wrote down the name with a distinct scowl.

"Anyone else?" She looked at the class. No one answered. "Then that means, everyone's in favor of making Daniella the discipline chair. Congratulations, Daniella. Come up here and join me." Daniella fixed her shoulder length coal black hair and made her way to the front to join Christella.

"I now open the nominations for Academic Chairman."

"Can I make a nomination, Ms. Ramirez?" Daniella asked.

"Of course, go ahead."

"I nominate… Riza Hawkeye for Academic Chairman." Riza was surprised at the sudden nomination and could only stutter. Roy stood up with a small smirk before seconding the motion.

"Thank you, Dan and Roy…" she wrote down Riza's name. "Anyone else who would like to nominate somebody else?" again the class was silent.

"I take that as a class vote for Riza. Alright then. Our Academic chairman is Riza Hawkeye. Congratulations, Riza. Join us here please." Christella flashed her a beautiful smile, which was different from the smirk she gave Daniella. Daniella congratulated her before Christella moved on.

--

At the end of the hour, they had nine class officers. Christella, Daniella, Riza, Amber Parker (Socio Cultural chairman), David Adams (EFC Chairman, EFC meaning Environment Friendly Committee), Ted Briony (Secretary), Vanessa Lewis (Beadle), Colleen Burnwood (Treasurer) and Arthur Cartwright (Property Custodian).

"Well, congratulations to the nine students. What a welcome for Ms. Hawkeye… I'm glad you are doing your very best to make her feel welcome and at home. Christella, Daniella, Riza, Amber, David, Ted, Vanessa, Colleen and Arthur, I will be needing your help for this first few months. Congratulations and good luck. And now…" The bell rung on the PA System signaling the start of the first recess of the school year. "It is time for recess. Enjoy and be back exactly 10: 15 for your Chemistry class. Lock door policy will again be strictly implemented. Good-bye and Thank you class."

The whole class stood up before saying goodbye and thank you. Once she left the room, everyone else excitedly chatted with other students, but Roy gave Riza a tap on her shoulder before asking her if she wanted to get food. She was startled but regained composure before nodding slowly. She got up, retrieved her wallet from her bag and followed Roy out.

"Congratulations. Not a lot of new students get elected for a class position, even if it is just temporary." He told her.

"Thank you, Mr. Mustang." She replied, slightly turning pink.

"You can call me Roy. The only people who call me Mr. Mustang are the younger students and the teachers, especially Ms. Ramirez."

"Alright then, Roy." Roy let out a snicker as a reply.

"The canteen is on the first floor of the annex building. So we use the fire exit to go down."

"It isn't illegal to use the fire exit?"

"Well, it is a fire exit, but it's the fastest and most convenient exit point. Besides if you use the stairs nearest to our room, you still have to pass through the admin lane. And the other staircase is at the far end of the hallway."

"I see. Thank you."

"No problem." Roy put his hands in his pocket as they went down the steps. They walked under the shed and into the brown doors leading to the canteen.

"We use our IDs to pay for the food, credits are loaded into them. You usually pay for your credits at the beginning of the school year, it's included in your tuition fee. But since we don't have our IDs yet, the school uses the computers. You get what you want, and then go over to the cashiers and then the ladies manning the stations will get your student's number and then they will deduct the amount from the credit you have when you paid your tuition fee. Do you know your number?"

"Yes, it's in my wallet. My aunt gave it to me before she left for the province."

"Fantastic. Okay now you can get your food." He told her with a smile.

--

"Now… we need to find a seat. Student Council members have a table to themselves, but you can sit with us if you want." They were carrying trays with food. His had a slice of pizza, a small bar of chocolate, and a bottle of water, while hers had a Caesar salad, 6 pieces of chicken nuggets and a bottle of water.

"Over there. Come one, follow me." He made his way through the maze of tables and students running to meet their friends to exchange stories and first day blues as she followed closely behind. They eventually reached a long table good for 12 people. Four seats were already taken. Riza recognized one of the people as the student council president, Maes Hughes. He stood up and welcomed Roy with a giddy look on his face. He gave Roy what should be a pat on the back, but instead created a loud smack.

"Hey Roy! How was homeroom period? Man, Mrs. Harvey is gonna be a tough one to please. Lucky you get our beloved adviser, Ms. Ramirez." Maes said with a sigh.

"Some men have all the luck, Maes. And I just happen to be one of them." Mustang said with a wide, proud grin plastered on his face. "By, the way, would you mind if Riza sat here? She's new and Ms. Ramirez wants me to keep her company." At this, Maes saw Riza and once again his face split into a wide smile.

"Hey there! So we meet again. Feel free to sit with us. The rest of the members aren't here yet and might not be here, but I'm sure they won't mind. By the way, this is Annika Green, council secretary…" The girl with blond hair and green eyes stood up, gave Riza a smile and pulled out a chair for her. She sat down and Roy sat down on he left.

"You can call me Nika if you like. I'm in the fourth year." She told Riza. Likewise, Riza introduced herself.

"… and the one sitting across you is Victor Sway, Fourth Year batch representative…" Hughes continued. Victor had messy chocolate brown hair and hazel colored eyes. He shook her hand.

"And then this one beside me… is Aurelia Clifford."

"Charmed… I'm Aurelia, council PRO. I'm also in third year like you." There was a distinct accent in her voice, which sounded like a French accent to Riza.

"You're French?" she asked as Riza poured sauce on her salad.

"Half- French. My mother is French. But I lived in France my first few years." Riza nodded as she ate her first piece of chicken nugget. A few moments later they were joined by a boy with dirty blond hair and golden colored eyes. He placed his tray laden with all types of food like fries, chicken and a can of coke on the table, before taking his seat.

"Man. This year is sure going to be rough for me. Journalism and Statistics class. Heaven help me." He helped himself to a piece of French fry before noticing that Riza was also sitting at their table.

"You should mind your manners, Ed. Can't you see we have a new student with us?" Roy snarled before helping himself to another bite of his pizza.

"Eh?" He looked at Mustang's direction, with a spoon in his mouth, and saw Riza sitting there eating her salad quietly. "Sorry 'bout that Mr. Future-President-of-the-student-council… geez." He said with a shrug after removing the spoon. Roy nearly spurted out the water he just drank. He ended up coughing for a few minutes before glaring at Ed, who was busy chomping on some fries.

"My name's Edward Elric, second year batch representative. Tell me if Mustang here is being such a bossy git." He said with an evil grin on his face.

"Take that back, Ed."

"Make me." Ed replied, sticking his tongue out before stuffing more French fries into his mouth.

"Well guys…" Hughes stood up, picked up his tray, and pushed back his chair. "…I'll go up now. I have English class up first." He gave a small wave and a wink before leaving the table. Aurelia glanced at her watch before standing up as well.

"I'll go now too… I have to climb four flights of stairs to get to my room. Plus there's only 15 minutes left 'til the end of recess. See you later at the meeting Roy. Riza, see you around and have a great day." And with a wave, she left. Roy finished his slice of pizza and was eating a piece of chocolate. Riza finished her chicken nuggets and was almost done with her salad.

"Roy!" A red headed girl made her way to the table with a bottle of orange juice and some paperwork.

"What is that in your hands, Sophia?" Roy looked like he knew what she had in her hands. She smiled and handed the paperwork to Roy. Roy took it with a slight scowl on his face.

"More paperwork?"

"Ms. Ramirez wanted me to give that to you. She's asking if you don't mind double checking the names on the class lists."

"Only me?"

"Annika can help you. Do you mind Nika?"

"Sure! No problem. We can half-half the work. Here give me half, I need to go up now." Roy nodded gave her half of the work before Nika stood up, pushed back her chair and smiled before leaving.

"Well, I have to be going too. See you at the meeting Roy." Sophia turned on her heel and left.

"Well… we must be going too. Ready Riza?" He asked, fixing all his trash on the tray.

"Sure I'm ready." She said, standing up.

"Just leave the trays here. It's alright."

"Hmmmm… being nice to girl aren't you, Mustang? Pity Christella's not here." Ed said with a smirk.

"Well what do you care Ed? Besides I'm not the one who's gonna be late for Journalism class." Roy remarked with a smirk. "Come on Riza." Without looking at the scowl on Ed's face, he gave a lazy wave before heading out the canteen doors.

--

"I don't think I introduced myself properly to you, Riza…" Riza was seated at her place, waiting for the bell to ring. Christella approached her with her group of friend and introduced themselves.

"… You can call me Chris. I've been in the advanced class for a long time and I've always been class representative since seventh grade. My sisters went to this school too, that's why most of the teachers know me." Chris extended her right hand and Riza shook her hand with a small smile on her face.

"These are my friends…" She carelessly waved a hand behind her, and four girls were standing behind her. Riza knew Vanessa, but the other 3, she only found out their names when Ms. Ramirez called out the names.

"Vanessa Lewis, you can call me Nessa… nice to meet you, Riza." Vanessa had long, wavy, raven colored hair and sparkling green eyes. She was as tall Chris, and had a model-like figure.

"Amber Smith, it's a pleasure to meet you, Riza." Amber smiled showing her even, white teeth. She had light blond hair and blue eyes. Like the rest of her friends, she too, was tall and slender.

"Cornelia Spencer. I hope you have a great year." Cornelia had light brown hair and green eyes.

"Cassandra Williams, but you can call me Cass." She extended her hand and Riza shook it. She was also tall and slender, had light brown hair as well and black eyes.

"There, now you know me and my friends. Now all you need to do is pick where do you want to fit in. You're accepted in our group, as any trustworthy person, may she be a new student or not. Welcome to Fountain Hill, Riza." Riza nodded and smiled and with a flip of her hair, Chris and her friends left Riza just as Roy sat down on his seat.

"The bell's about to ring any minute…" Roy said, as he took out his brown leather notebook.

"Yes… thank you, Roy. For showing me around and all." Riza said, turning to face him.

"Well, I still have to show you around the other buildings in the school. The campus is large you know." He said with a small shrug.

"Hi there… Riza, Roy." It was Daniella and Charmaine.

"Hello, Daniella." Riza smiled. Daniella was a very likable and trustworthy person. And so was Charmaine. Roy said hi before being engaged in a conversation by his friend, Ted.

"Don't call me Daniella… it's too long for me. You can call me… Sunny."

"Sunny?" Riza was puzzled. "Where did you get your nickname?"

"Er… that's a long story. And the bell's about to ring." Sunny said with a sheepish smile. "Charmaine can introduce herself…"

"Charmaine Norton. You can call me Charm. Thanks for seconding the nomination… Christella knew no one was going to second."

"No problem. At least you got a good position, Sunny. Why didn't you run, Charm?" Riza asked.

"I don't like running for class positions… I have a better chance at Club positions." Charm said with a slight shrug. The bell rung again, signaling the beginning of the first period classes.

"Well, we'll chat with you later. Ms. Carmichael is going to be here any minute now…" Sunny said before turning and returning to her seat in the fourth row, on the right side of the aisle. Charm smiled before going back to her sear in the second row, right side of the aisle, beside the teacher's table. Sunny was right. A few seconds later, the door opened and in came their teacher, Ms. Carmichael. She was wearing the teacher's uniform, had gray eyes and layered, wavy, black hair. She crossed the room, put her things on the teacher's table before going to the front again.

"Property Custodian, please open the computer." Arthur stood up, and went behind the teacher's table, plugging both the television and computer, before turning on the computer. Meanwhile, Ms. Carmichael wrote down her name on the board in a slightly messy, but readable handwriting.

_Ms. Maureen Carmichael, General Chemistry_

"Although it is the first day of classes, it does not mean we can start with the lesson proper… but today, I'll give you the lesson outline for the whole school year, as your academic guides have not yet been printed. Is the computer ready?" she turned to Arthur who was behind the teacher's table, staring down at the monitor. He looked up, before nodding. She went behind the television, and Arthur went back to his seat. She logged on the network and looked for her file. Meanwhile, some students whispered and passed notes. Roy was twirling his black pen, looking very bored. Riza was scribbling something on her notebook. Later, the teacher returned and asked Victoria Cooper, a tell girl in the second row to open the TV as there was no remote control yet. Then she asked another girl, Chloe Jackson, who was seated behind Victoria, to be her 'clicker'. The words General Chemistry flashed on the screen.

"This year, we'll be exploring the basic chemistry. If you feared it last year, due to stories from your friends, dismiss those thoughts, as this chemistry is going to be easy." She said before going to the teacher's table and pulling out her copy of the class list.

"Ms. Long, what is chemistry for you?" a Chinese looking girl in the fifth row stood up. Rose Long had black, silk like hair and small black eyes, and a fair complexion.

"Miss… Chemistry for me is probably the study of the composition of the things around us." She answered in a small, soft voice. After answering, she slowly sat down.

"Thank you. The meaning Ms. Long gave us is correct. But there is a more correct definition of chemistry. Next slide please." The meaning of chemistry flashed on the screen and students pulled out the notebooks required for chemistry. Riza, likewise, pulled out her light blue, spring bound notebook and started jotting down the notes as her teacher discussed the meaning. A little while into the discussion, Christella raised her hand, and the teacher called on her.

"It's not related to the discussion, Miss… but Ms. Ramirez told us that you will be giving us the first day's schedule of classes."

"Oh yes, I'm sorry. You're the class representative, Ms. Curtis?"

"Yes, ma'am." She said with a nod.

"Just like your sister." The teacher got the schedule from her notebook and gave it to Christella. "Kindly write that on the board, Ms. Curtis." Christella took a piece of chalk and started writing down the schedule on the board. Meanwhile, Ms. Carmichael continued with her discussion. When Christella was done writing the schedule (each class had 45 minutes per period.), she gave the schedule back to the teacher and went back to her seat. Half the class already looked bored.

It was definitely going to be a long, boring class to start the year.

--

**A bit lengthy, but at least I'm able to write… I'll be finishing my projects a little while later. I won't have classes until the 7****th**** so, I can still write.. :D Please read and review, and if you review thank you!**

**For the people who added this story to the Favorite list, thank you as well! But I highly appreciate reviews as well! So thank you and happy reading!**


	4. A Friend and A Home

**Hey there! Thanks to those who reviewed, but I'd really appreciate more reviews. ;) This might be my last update during our Christmas Break then it's back to school. But I will try to update once in a while, I swear. :D But for now… on to the chapter!**

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CHAPTER 4: A Friend and A Home

By the time the lunch bell rang, three or four students were already asleep in the middle of Geometry class. Geometry was, for Riza, going to be a bit challenging. For the whole year, they were going to prove certain mathematical statements. There was going to be a lost of that and so little of the algebraic solving part.

When the bell rung, the sleeping students perked up and started keeping their geometry books. Seeing that her class was waiting to be dismissed for lunch, Ms. Stanley sighed before writing down a small assignment on the board.

"Since it's the first day, I'll let you guys off on time, alright? But I'll give you homework. That is reasonable as your next class is on Wednesday. Your assignment is to answer page 6 of your book. There are ten items, put all answers in your notebook. That's all, Good-bye class. See you on Wednesday." The class stood up and greeted good-bye. Afterwards, some went out of the room, hoping to meet their friends and have lunch with them, or just hang around the school grounds. Just as Roy was standing from his seat, the announcement bell rung. The voice that spoke on it was definitely Ms. Ramirez's.

"To all Student Council members, we will have an emergency meeting now at the Students' Council Office. Attendance is a must. Again, Student Council Members, we will have an emergency meeting now at the students' council office. Attendance is a must. Thank you." Hearing that, Roy pulled his notebook, used for meetings, before turning to Riza.

"Hey, Riza… I'm sorry but I can't show you around during lunch time." At the same time, Sunny and Charm approached Riza.

"You can join us for lunch Riza. It's okay." Sunny gave a smile which Riza returned.

"It's okay Roy. Sunny and Charm will keep me company. Enjoy your meeting." Roy yawned before leaving the room, still looking bored as ever. Riza stood up and left the room with Sunny and Charm afterwards.

"I know how it feels like, being new and all…" Sunny started as they were going down the fire exit stairs. "…At least Christella isn't picking on you." Riza was startled by what Sunny said. When they reached the first floor, they went all the way to the canteen. They easily found a seat and Charm said she'd watch the table as Riza and Sunny got food. In five minutes, they were both back with food. Sunny had cheesy French fries and Riza had another salad. When they were seated, Charm went to get her food. A few minutes later, Charm came back with a mango shake and Barbeque flavored French fries. They quietly ate until a girl came up to them. She had short black hair and black eyes. Sunny seemed to know her because she greeted her.

"Hey there, Bianca. How's first year coming?" Bianca pulled a chair beside Sunny and sat down, then slumped onto the table.

"I'm not gonna take this I swear… I mean what's the use of Health class?"

"I can tell you that… I mean you have to drag a dummy, maybe your thin classmate, then you get a grade. Pretty useless if you think about it. But it gets worse in second year. CPR for crying out loud. Only got an 8 in most of the practical tests." Sunny said as she ate French fries. This made Bianca a bit more miserable.

"And to think it's first thing in the morning. Why of all classes it has to be Health?!" Bianca said in a miserable voice. Then, perked up when she caught Riza's eye. "…Er… You're a new student?" Riza nodded yes, not knowing why she suddenly perked up then looked nervous.

"Oh yeah, Bianca… this is Riza Hawkeye, my classmate. Yeah she's new." Sunny said as she wiped her fingers clean on tissue paper. Bianca extended her right hand and Riza shook it.

"Lucky you don't get to experience the hell which is Health. I mean, you must be really smart to be in third year and in the top class at that. I mean you must be as smart as Sunny and Charm here…"

"Oh, thank you. But it was just probably luck." Riza said modestly.

"Nah, those entrance exams were hard… no way that it was luck. This school is very academically advanced, and it's curriculum is one of the best in the city, if not the best. By the way, sorry if I didn't introduce myself properly… Bianca Peterson, and yeah I'm a freshman." She said with a wide grin. Riza smiled back.

"Hey guys, I'll see you guys upstairs. I have to give something to my sister." Charm said as she stood up to leave.

"Alright. See you upstairs, Charm." Riza and Sunny said at the same time. Bianca smiled and waved good bye. After she left, Riza finished the last bit of her salad.

"Hey Riza, do you go to the library? We still have 30 minutes left 'til the end of lunch break. Maybe Bianca and I can show you around the place…" Sunny offered.

"Oh sure." The three of them stood up and left the canteen. They went up the fire exit but went through the door leading to the second floor. They went straight to another door through a smaller version of the Bubble and through the glass doors of the Library. It was an air-conditioned place with tables and computers. They went straight to another set of glass doors and into the place where the books were kept. Riza had never seen more books in her life. There were so many shelves filled with books labeled and arranged in a way that students and teachers can find the book they need quickly.

"Do you like books, Riza?" Bianca asked her.

"Yeah I do… the school I went to before had a large collection of books, but this school has an even larger collection!" Riza answered with a smile on her face. If there's one thing that helped her not think of the problems that faced her family, it was books. Her father had a lot of books and her mother bought her books when she was younger.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go look for a book you want… but we can't borrow it just yet. We need the IDs. That's the stupid part…" Sunny said with a grin on her face. "Go on, you can look… Bianca and I will be in the fiction section." Bianca and Sunny went to the last few shelves on the far end of the hall, and Riza was left standing there. Students went past her, looking for books they liked. Riza went to the very end on the other side of the hall where the classics were kept. (She read the signs as she passed the shelves) She has never seen classics kept in such a good condition like they were still brand new. One thick book caught her eye though. It was a collection of Sherlock Holmes Stories. If there's one thing Riza couldn't resist, it was a good mystery novel. And Sherlock Holmes was one of the best. She longingly looked at the book when she took it down.

'_I'll borrow this when I get my ID.'_ Riza couldn't suppress the grin she had on her face. She looked at the other classics and vowed that she'd borrow them.

"Yo, you done? We wanna show you the small sports arena here…" Sunny popped out of nowhere.

"Yeah… sure I'm done. Remind me to return here when we get our IDs." Riza said with a smile.

"Sure, no problem. Let's go to the sports arena… we have 20 minutes left. It's just behind the building. You like sports?" Sunny asked as they left the library.

"Well, a bit… I played volleyball and some chess. I loved to swim, but the sport I loved so much was target shooting… my Grandfather took me to a shooting range once back when I was a kid, and I loved the sport since then." Bianca giggled at Riza's reply.

"Wow… that's so cool. Unfortunately, we don't have a shooting range here. The school might think it's dangerous." Bianca said suppressing her giggle. They went down the stairs and walked through the walk way leading to the back of the annex building. There was a huge white building. From where they were, Riza saw a soccer field, a softball and baseball field and a covered pool.

"How does it all fit in the school's compound?" Riza asked, a bit puzzled.

"Well people think the compound's small, but in fact it extends way to the back. That building over there has the tennis and badminton courts plus a second floor for sports like karate and taekwondo. Go through the fields, you'll see the track and field grounds." Sunny explained. "There's another white building at the other end of the high school building, and that's the gymnasium… the school also has 2 auditoriums for assemblies and a convention hall for occasions." Riza was amazed at the structures in their school. Truly, it was much bigger than her school in her hometown of Crystal Springs.

"Hey, Sunny, it's almost bell, and my room's on the fourth floor. Shall we go up now?" Bianca asked. Sunny faced her and nodded.

"So, it's okay Riza? We'll go back here for the sports fest in October or November and for PE class." Riza nodded and followed Bianca and Sunny back to the High School Building. When they reached the fire exit stairs, Bianca said bye to the two of them before taking another stair well to the fourth floor. In no time, Riza and Sunny were back in their classroom with ten minutes to spare. Roy was already there and s was Charm. Sunny went to her seat and Riza to hers.

"How was your meeting?"

"Still the same… I have another meeting later, this time with the administration. Sorry I can't show you around… how are you getting home by the way?" Roy asked her after putting away his student council notebook.

"Um… I'll walk home. The apartment my aunt rented for me is just a few blocks from school."

"Are you sure? Is anyone gonna accompany you home?"

"Maybe Sunny. I'll ask her later. It's okay Roy… no need to sacrifice your attendance to that meeting just to walk me home." Roy now looked a bit disappointed.

"These meetings are just such a hassle… but hey, there are perks. What's our next subject by the way?"

"Well… we'll have three subjects straight. English, World History and PE." Riza said looking at her schedule.

"Oh man… three subjects.. thank goodness it's 45 minutes per subject. So we see Ms. Ramirez again… wonderful."

"Why? You see too much of her?"

"Nah, Ms. Ramirez is a great teacher. One of the best in the school."

"I see… how about our English Teacher?"

"Ms. Hale? She's a good teacher too. Too bad she no longer has advisory class since she's the English Subject Team leader. Well you'll find out for yourself, the bell's gonna ring."

And he was right. At that moment, the bell rang and most students went back to their seats. Outside Riza heard the doors of the other classroom doors close with a bang. And she heard a voice through the open door of their classroom.

"All of you get back into your classrooms. The bell has rung, go on. Your teachers are going to be in your classrooms already. The school's lock door policy is strictly implemented." The voice died down and so did the footsteps and the doors were shut quietly. Then a tall, fair complexioned teacher with short wavy brown hair went inside the classroom. Roy stood up and the class followed suit and greeted the teacher.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Hale."

"Good afternoon, please be seated." She said in a cheerful voice she put down her things on the teacher's table. Afterwards, she went to the blackboard and like other teachers, wrote down her name on the blackboard. Unlike Ms. Carmichael, her handwriting was very neat and legible.

"Good afternoon again, I am Ms. Kathlyn Hale, and I will be your English teacher for this year which will focus on English Literature. If you are going to ask, yes we will discuss Shakespeare. I know a lot of looked forward to studying Shakespeare. And if you did not know, I am also the Subject Team Leader for English. I will not be very strict nor will I be too lenient. I will allow you to eat only candies in my class. No lollipops and no gum. I will set more house rules or in this case rules in the classroom as we go along. Clear?"

"Yes, miss." The class answered in chorus.

"Now, we shall move on to the introduction to this year's lessons…"

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For the whole period of English, their teacher discussed the lesson plan and activities they would be having throughout the year like the photo shoot for the Photo Essay project they would be having later in the first quarter. This perked up a lot of students.

'_Roy was right. Ms. Hale is a very good teacher.'_ Riza thought. Although she was a new student their, from the way the class perked up to the teaching style of the teacher to the different activities ins tore, she could say that she was one of the best.

The forty-five minutes was over in no time and when Ms. Hale stepped outside of the classroom using the front door, Ms. Ramirez came in using the back door.

"Good Afternoon class. Settle down now." She went all the way to the teacher's table and started setting up the computer which she was going to use.

"Whoa, that was quick, Ms. Ramirez." Baron Carlton exclaimed out loud.

"Thank you, Mr. Carlton. If you want to know I was waiting outside for nearly ten minutes as I do not have a class before yours. Now…" She said without looking at her class (she was busy setting up the presentation). Afterwards, she straightened up and asked Victoria to open the TV for her (as there was no way she could reach the top of the TV and press the buttons without standing on a chair.)

"For World History this year, we will first tackle the dawn of History and the early civilizations." She said as she clicked. "Oh and, there's no need to copy everything on this presentation. Your academic guides will be out hopefully by next week." Most of them stopped writing, and some kept the notebooks they were going to write on. Ms. Ramirez's eyes scanned the list of subtopics in the Early Civilizations and apparently one caught her eye.

"Ms. Curtis. Stand up please." Chris stood up waiting for a question to be asked.

"Ms. Curtis, what does Other Near Eastern People mean?"

"Um… the meaning for me?"

"It's up to you." Christella's hands were on top of an old notebook that was open. Ms. Ramirez's eyes narrowed before asking Christella.

"Are those your sister's notes?" Christella nervously nodded.

"Which sister?"

"Andreanna or maybe you knew her by the name Andee." Chris forced a strained smile. Ms. Ramirez went over to her desk and checked the notes. She quickly flipped through the notes.

"Tell your sister that she really took down notes. This is very specific. Can I keep it?" Ms. Ramirez asked, somewhat hiding a snicker.

"Er… she loves that notebook." Christella reasoned.

"Oh really? Well, anyway. What does Near eastern people mean?" Ms. Ramirez asked again as she put the notebook down and went back to the teacher's table.

"The term Near Eastern People may mean the people living in continents like Asia and the Middle East, Miss." Chris answered.

"Thank you, you may be seated. Ms. Hawkeye, please stand up." Riza stood up and Ms. Ramirez gave her a smile. "How was your first few periods?"

"Fine miss enjoyable probably, thank you. Roy showed me around and so did Sunny and Charm." Riza answered in an audible and clear voice. Sunny gave her a smile and so did Charm.

"glad to hear that your classmates are making you feel welcome. They did elect you as Academic chairman, and I think you will start your job today. I think Ms. Song is absent, so you need to get your seatwork, if there's any but I doubt it. Mr. Mustang please accompany her will you?"

"Yes, Ms. Ramirez." Roy answered.

"Anyway, onto my question. What does the term near Eastern people mean, Ms. Hawkeye?" Riza thought out her choice of words before answering.

"Near Eastern People, from what I read before, was the term western people used to refer to countries, nations and peoples in the East."

"Correct. That is the answer I was looking for. Thank you Ms. Hawkeye." Ms. Ramirez said with a satisfied smile and at this, Riza sat down. "Now we move on…"

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the period went by fast and at the end of the period, Ms. Ramirez told Riza to go down and get the seatwork. She also called Roy to accompany her downstairs.

"Look for Mr. Byrne okay? Good luck, Riza. I shall see you later at the meeting, Roy." Ms. Ramirez went to the direction of the fire exit to head for the Bubble and Riza and Roy went down using the staircase nearest to their classroom. In no time they got to the Faculty Room but Mr. Byrne said that they had no seatwork for the day as it was just the first day. So they both went up and Riza told the class that there was no seatwork and they were to free anything as long as they don't make noise. (The don't make noise rule was Ms. Ramirez's final reminder if they didn't have a seatwork) Christella went over to her friends and were all looking at a magazine and squealing when they saw pictures of people they love. Sunny was reading a book and Charm seemed to be drawing something. Roy was double checking the class list like Ms. Ramirez asked him. Their other classmates were either tinkering with rubix cubes and other IQ games.

"Let me help you there, Roy." Riza offered.

"Nah it's alright. I think I can finish it."

"You think." Riza said with a raised eyebrow.

"Hey, you're a new student here. I can't just throw Student Council burdens on you like that… I can manage really." Roy said putting another few pieces in the finished pile, which was rather thin compared to the to-do pile.

"You're not throwing them at me. You'll still do your part, I'll just help you double check them."

"You're not familiar with the name spellings and ID numbers yet…" Roy reasoned.

"Alright then, at least let me arrange them in order of year level. It's getting crumpled if you pile your world history book over it." Roy had no choice but to accept her offer. The paperwork which were checked were on the chair of Roy's seatmate, Matthew. And keeping it in place was Roy's World History book. He stopped checking and gave the papers to her, which she arranged.

In no time, the work was finished and just in time for the bell. When the bell rung, Riza could hear her other schoolmates running out of their rooms and opening and closing locker doors.

"Are they always in a hurry like that?" Riza asked Roy, who was keeping the paperwork in a folder and stashing it neatly in his bag. He got his books and replied.

"Only today… they want to get home as soon as possible. You want to return your books now?" Riza nodded and she got her books and followed Roy out. When they went out, their other classmates went out as well. Riza heard cat calls to other students. Everyone was shouting and screaming out somebody's name.

"Yo, Mustang! How's the council coming along!" Roy smirked at the guy who shouted and just simply waved.

"Hi Roy!" A few girls said in chorus as they passed them. Roy still kept the smirked then returned his books. Riza did the same before returning to the classroom and getting their respective bags.

"Riza, how are you going to get home?" It was Sunny.

"Well, do you mind if I join you when you go home?"

"No of course not! Why, Mustang has a meeting?" Sunny asked, knowing that Roy was still there.

"As a matter of a fact, yes Daniella. Now do you mind accompanying her?"

"Of course not. Enjoy your meeting Mustang." Sunny said with a hint of sarcasm and she motioned to Riza to follow her.

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"You don't mind if we take the car do you?" Sunny asked as they stepped out of the building.

"A car? You have a car?"

"My driver picks me and my siblings up after school, I can bring you home and maybe we can hang out at your house. If that's okay with you."

"Well, sure… as long as it won't trouble you." Riza said, grateful.

"Of course not. Where do you live?" Sunny asked leading her to a light blue van and opening the door for Riza.

"Magnolia Street. Just a few blocks from school. It's an apartment complex."

"Heard that Joe?" Sunny asked her driver.

"Loud and clear, Sunny. Hop in. your friend's house is on the way to Cara's school."

Riza and Sunny got in and Sunny closed the door. Sunny's driver started the car and they were on their way.

"Cara is my younger sister. I have 5 other siblings you see."

"Oh… that's a lot. At least you have someone to talk to."

"You're an only child?" Riza nodded. For the rest of the trip to Riza's apartment, nothing was said. They got off in front of the apartment complex and Sunny told her driver to pick her up at 6:15. Riza went and opened the door and let Sunny in.

"Wow. Your place is spacious. You live here alone?"

"Yes. Sit down on the couch. We can watch TV. My aunt will call me every week and she gives me allowance for food, rent, bills, and shopping. Hang on I'll get my cell phone." Riza said as she turned on the TV before leaving the living room to get her phone. When Riza came back, she had a bag of chips and two sodas in her hand.

"Help yourself, Sunny. I'm just glad that on my first day I found friends."

"You're gonna find more of them, trust me. You're a very likable and trustworthy person. You like to watch chick flicks?" Riza nodded with a smile and the two of them watched movies and ate chips and just bonded.

-----------

**Sorry it had to be short… I still have a few things to finish. But enjoy! I have to thank my friend, Sunny though… she allowed me to use her as the model for the Sunny in the story. :D **

**I hope you enjoy it and Reviews are very much appreciated!! Thank you! ****♥**


	5. The End of the Week

Hi there

**Hi there! I know it's been a while… I've been so busy and so stressed No coffee for me! Just chocolates It's the school fair and next week, I have a lot of stuff to submit, and I get my report card next week… so I'll try to update, I swear I will. To all those waiting, I'm sorry I took so long! Here you go!**

**Note: I'll be moving forward to the end of the first school week… XP it's gonna be lengthy if I have a chapter for each day of the world. XD**

**--**

**Chapter 5: The End of the Week**

"..Egyptians practiced polytheism and animism. What does polytheism mean?" Ms. Ramirez was in the middle of her lecture on the Egyptian Civilization. When she asked the question, several hands shot up including Riza's, Roy's and Christella's. She called on Chloe Jackson, a chestnut haired, gray eyed girl.

"Polytheism means that the Egyptians during that period worshiped many gods, for example, Ra, the god of the Sun." she sat down.

"Correct… now as Ms. Jackson said, Egyptians have many gods…" she started flashing names and pictures of different gods on the television screen and the students copied down the details and afterwards, she discussed more until the end of the period.

"Homework for Monday! Yes, you cannot complain. It's the end of the week, and I can give you homework, so remove that scowl from your face Mr. Carlton. Kindly draw this table on your notebooks and fill out the needed information." She started drawing a table with four columns labeling them with Period, famous Personalities, achievements, and Fall of the Period. Then she wrote down three periods on the table: Old Kingdom, Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom.

"Fill out the table with necessary information, al answers in the notebook. And please don't make your notes too colorful. I certainly remember one of my students last year who used colors like pink, orange and yellow to write her notes. What an eyesore… I will check your notebooks. Clear? Ms. Hale is waiting outside, so Good bye and Thank you class." She got her things, and the class stood up and greeted her good bye. She was leaving when Vanessa, the beadle, ran up to her with a folder, which Ms. Ramirez gave to her two days ago. She asked her to sign the attendance and then Ms. Ramirez left. After exchanging hellos with Ms. Hale, Ms. Hale came in and greeted the class.

--

"We're going to have a group activity, so that you'd all get to know each other well, and at the same time, it'll prepare you for the play you're going to hold sometime in the fourth quarter. As you know we will be studying some of Shakespeare's works this year… yes including Romeo and Juliet, but just a part of it. Now, I took the liberty of forming your groups. I have 5 groups, 8 members each. Clear?"

"Yes, Ms. Hale." The class said together. Ms. Hale strode over to the teacher's table retrieved a piece of paper from her file. She resumed her place in the middle of the room and read the list.

"First group: Adams, Burnwood, Cooper, Filmore, Lewis, Long, Sung and Wilson. Go sit together now." The first eight people stood up and sat together. When they were settled, she called the next eight.

"Second group: Baker, Clement, Flanders, Hawkeye, Lawrence, Mustang, Simon, and Katrina Smith." They stood up, and Riza saw that Christella had an annoyed look on her face. Riza just shrugged it off and sat beside Roy in the group.

"Next: Adler, Briony, Curtis, Henrickson, Jackson, Montgomery, Thompson and Wells. Fourth group: Aldrin, Cartwright, Miles, Norton, Parker, Taylor, Watson, and Williams. The rest you are the fifth group." The rest of the class broke into groups and waited for their teacher's next instruction. She was at the computer, looking for the correct file, and when she found it, she opened it and flashed the presentation.

"Well, for your first challenge, we'll have a photo shoot. Each person in the group will have to take pictures of yourselves. You know like models. Your group can decide what theme you can have. You can let your imagination fly… Be creative. I'll let you break into groups now, so if anyone has question, I'll be there at the table. " She went to the teacher's table and some of them went to get their books from under their chairs.

"Alright… it's better if we delegate the tasks now… what theme do you guys want for the photo shoot?" Darwin Clement asked the group of eight.

"I have no idea… Roy, you're the one who comes up with great ideas every time… What do you think?" Hannah Baker suggested. All of them turned to Roy, who looked a bit bored.

"Let's… try something fun. Like a Walk of fame or something… like we're stars. Or maybe some kind of music thing, like if we were musicians of sorts." Roy said, racking his brain for ideas.

"You know, I'd like the walk of fame thing… I mean, we don't have to be in gowns of some sorts do we? Why not just casual clothing that's hip and cool?" Riza added. Darwin nodded.

"Then, let's vote. Does everyone like the walk of fame idea? Where are we gonna do it anyway?" Darwin asked. All eight hands rose in favor of the walk of fame idea.

"I can ask Ms. Hale when we can do it and where." Riza said as she stood up, fixed the hem of her skirt and approached Ms. Hale.

"Ms. Hale… when are we going to do the photo shoot? And where are we going to do it?" Riza asked. Ms. Hale looked up from her paperwork.

"Oh yes! I forgot about that." She stood up. "Ok everyone, Riza just asked me a question regarding when you're going to do it and where. So here's the catch. You can do it anywhere that would be suitable for your theme. When, you will also decide but I want that by Wednesday you have a presentation of your pictures. It may be a movie, a presentation or whatever you want it to be. An album, go ahead! You can be creative! Criteria for grading: 10 points for creativity 10 points for quality of pictures and the theme 5 points for the presentation you made. All by Wednesday. You have a long weekend so you have time." She smiled and sat down. Riza thanked her before returning to her place with her group.

"Now that we've cleared that… since it's a Walk of fame theme shoot, why not we do it at Roy's place. It's got a grand staircase and there's a ballroom of sorts at their house for parties. Can we Roy?" Hannah asked.

"Hmmm… I guess so. We can shoot there. And we can fix up the video after. Or do you want an album? By the way, the address is 425 McKinley Parkway, Green Valley Subdivision." Roy answered.

"We can have both for a higher grade…" Jennifer Lawrence suggested.

"That's okay. Maybe we can divide. After the photo shoot, maybe half can work on the video and the rest on the album. But we need to develop the pictures for the album." Riza said.

"Don't worry about that. I can ask our driver to do so. He's very trustworthy to get things done quickly." Roy replied. "You guys can be there at eight? Is that alright?" Everyone nodded yes. Before they could discuss anything more, the bell rang signaling recess.

--

"Reminders for the week! Mr. Briony, kindly write the reminders on the blackboard at the back of the room." Ted stood up, picked up a piece of chalk and waited for Ms. Ramirez for reminders.

"One. Your students' orientation is Wednesday next week last two periods. So you will not have Trigonometry and Arts and Drafting. Two. Club Sign up day is on Friday, last period. Orientation will be before that. Three. I want Mr. Mustang, Ms. Curtis, Ms. Taylor and Ms. Hawkeye to get the diaries downstairs from the principal's office. Roy be a gentleman and carry most of it ok?" She said with a wink. Roy laughed as he stood up, nodded and followed the three girls out of the room.

--

It took them 5 minutes to get back to the classroom. Roy was carrying a box full of hardbound planners. Riza was carrying four or five and so was Christella and Sunny. They distributed the planners to their classmates and sat down. Ms. Ramirez gave out more reminders and instructions for the use of the planner/diary before leaving the room.

--

Somebody knocked on their door in the middle of their Geometry class. They just had lunch and Ms. Stanley was discussing a brief history of Geometry and different kinds of reasoning to the class. The door opened and their music teacher, Mr. Davies was at the door.

"What can I do for you, Mr. Davies?" Mr. Stanley asked him glancing from the brown geometry book.

"Can I speak to the academic chairman?"

"Ms. Hawkeye, if you please." Riza nodded, stood up and went outside.

"Yes, Mr. Davies?"

"I forgot to explain your project for the first quarter in music. It's a group presentation of musicals. I asked Ms. Ramirez to pick out musicals for you guys from a can and she got: Hairspray, Grease, Sound of Music, Les Miserables and Rent. Ms. Hale also suggested using the groups she gave you in English class. And then just draw lots and then presentation numbers presentation starts two weeks from now. 3-4 songs each. One group per meeting. Thanks so much Ms. Hawkeye. You can go back to your Geometry class now."

"Yes sir, thank you sir." She said as he left and as she went back to the room.

--

"Alright guys listen up. Mr. Davies gave us a project for the first quarter. It's also a group project and in this project, we have to perform 3-4 songs from the musical chosen. It's not you who's gonna pick the musical. It's draw lots. We use the groups in English. Any questions?" Christella stood up, and seemed like she wanted to question one of the details.

"Why the same groups? Can't we have a different group for this project?" Christella asked, a tone of annoyance in her voice.

"Why Christella? Do you want to be with anyone in particular? I thought class reps need to work well with everyone in the class. I mean, you should get along with anyone considering you ran for Batch rep last school year." Sunny said quietly as she read a book. Christella spun around and faced Sunny with an angry look.

"Listen, Daniella. It's just the first week of classes and you're looking for a fight. I was just asking why we need the same groups."

"Christella, those were the teacher's orders. You can't question them." Sunny retorted, closing her book with a slam. Everyone was watching the two argue now. When everything was getting worse (they were both shouting now) Roy and Riza shouted for the class to shut up.

"That's enough, both of you!" They shouted at the same time. The whole class grew quiet. Even Sunny and Christella stopped arguing.

"Christella, if you don't like your group then ask someone in other groups who'd like to switch with you. If they don't agree, then go ask Sir Davies." Riza said, calming down a bit.

"That's not behavior expected of a class representative or of a discipline chairman. It's the start of the year. You have to get along because you'll be together for 9 months or more." Roy added. Christella and Sunny exchanged looks, and neither of them wanted to apologize.

"Fine. Hannah, would you like to switch with me?" Christella asked in a much nicer voice.

"Uh huh… you want to be in Roy's group." Sunny muttered under her breath.

"What's that Montgomery?" Christella flashed Sunny another glare.

"Nothing." Christella turned to Hannah again.

"Well, do you want to switch, Hannah?" She asked nicely.

"Okay then." Hannah answered in a soft voice. Christella flashed her one of her pearly white smiles, definitely looking satisfied.

"Sorry for the delay. You can go on, Riza." Christella said as she sat down.

"Now that that's settled, we now draw lots for the musicals and the order of presentation. Representatives for each group, kindly come forward."

--

At around 2:45 they went home after discussing the groups. Riza and Roy's group got Les Miserables, Sunny's group got Hairspray, David Adam's group got Grease, Charm's group got the Sound of Music and Jillian Wells's group got Cats. David's group was performing first and then Charm's, Jillian's, Sunny's and then Roy's group was the last.

Before leaving for home, Riza approached Roy who was getting ready for another meeting.

"Hey Roy… thanks for the help this afternoon. It was hard to break those two up." Roy looked up and smiled.

"You're welcome, Riza."

"Do you mind if you fetch me tomorrow? I mean, I'm new and I don't know where to go."

"Oh yeah… it's ok. I'll fetch you at 7:45 tomorrow morning. I'll just call your house. What's your number?" Roy said as he pulled out his notebook for reminders. He gave her the notebook and she wrote down the needed information before giving it back to him. He looked at it, nodded, and then closed the notebook before putting it in his bag.

"I'll see you tomorrow then." He said with his usual smirk as he picked up his bag and left for the meeting.

"Bye…" She waved, but he was gone. Sighing, she picked up her bag and made her way out of the classroom. She was surprised to see Sunny waiting outside for her.

"Finally. What took you so long? Come on, I'll drop you home." She said as she straightened up form the locker she was leaning on.

"Hold on Sunny. You've taken me home for four days… I mean, it's too much. It might be a hassle for you and your driver." Sunny gave her a blank look in reply. Then she laughed, really loud.

"Oh come on, I don't mind… but if you don't want to ride then I'll walk home with you."

"As long as you promise me that this will be the last day?"

"… can I at least walk with you sometimes?" She asked. Riza sighed before answering.

"Oh, alright you can… you're so persistent, more persistent than… my best friend." She said with a sad tone when she remembered the friends she left in her old hometown.

"Oh, I better not ask about that. Well come on! I'll tell my driver to pick me up at your house, and we'll walk there… or probably he'll pick up my sister first." Sunny said as she went a few paces ahead of Riza and Riza forced a smile, shook off the unhappy memories and followed her out.

--

They were in front of Riza's house/apartment when they saw the lights saw inside the house. The two exchanged looks and Riza knew that she wasn't expecting anyone. Sunny's driver wasn't there yet and there was no one on the streets.

"Stay behind me." She whispered.

"What the hell are you going to do?!" Sunny frantically said. "I mean do you even know self defense? My sister only taught me the basics, never bothered to learn."

"Shhhh! This isn't the time! Just trust me." Riza took the key from her pocket and slowly unlocked the door. She slowly and as quietly as she can, opened the door. It made a little creak and they froze. They heard footsteps and they stood there like statues.

"Riza is that you?" A voice called out from the kitchen. Definitely a woman's voice. A moment later a tall woman with rosy white complexion and hazel eyes and long ebony colored hair tied into a ponytail came into view. At this, Riza relaxed, and her worried look changed into a much more relaxed one.

"Honestly, Beatrice. The next time you come into my house be sure to call." She said, reprimanding the woman, who seemed a few years older than Riza.

"I was actually wondering what time you'd be home. Mom said you'd be back by 2:30. It's already 3." Beatrice replied, her hands on her hips.

"Er, Riza, I think I should go." Sunny said. Riza suddenly remembered that Sunny was there with her.

"Oh, sorry about that Sunny. This is my older 23 year old cousin, Beatrice. My aunt is her mother." Sunny could only nod and wave hello. Outside, Sunny's driver honked the horn telling her that it was time for her to go. She said a soft good bye to Riza and to Beatrice and left. When Sunny was gone, Riza spoke to Beatrice again.

"Why didn't you at least tell me you were coming? You scared us out of our sanity." Riza asked, half shouting.

"Well, mom told me that she'd call you when you get home. But you're late today." Beatrice replied calmly.

"Alright enough. Enough chit chat. Why the hell are you here?" Riza said, her temper rising a bit.

"Well, I found a job here at Midgale and my mom said I'd keep you company. I'd pay for all your needs, but she says you can keep the credit cards, cash and whatever."

"And you didn't tell me? You could have called yourself when you were on your way. I mean you do know my cell phone number right? You could have called! I had it on during our dismissal time." Riza retorted. Beatrice could only sigh and shake her head.

"You've always been a little hard headed, Ri. Maybe it's due to your father's bringing up."

"Don't you dare start on me, Beatrice. You have no right to lecture me on how I was brought up. Why don't you look at the way you were brought up?!" Riza said, shouting now. "This is going to go nowhere! I'll leave you to do whatever, just don't touch my things without permission. You can fix the second room. I'll do my homework and I have a lot of commitments tomorrow. I'll be gone before eight." Riza curtly said before going up the stairs and slamming the door to her room.

"Oh dear… I forgot to tell her that Michael was going to call. Oh well, she better cool down first." Beatrice told herself before shrugging and going back to the kitchen.

--

**Okay… a bit odd, but yes we meet Beatrice. XP And I'll try to update, I swear I will. :D Thanks for the reviews! **


	6. Sweet Moments

**Mwaha. I am back with another chapter… :D Sorry was gone for a while. I had a ton of work for school and I got so loaded and all… plus really disappointed when my World History Grade went down by just .08… ******** The Royai fluff is probably up by a bit on the fluff meter… but yes, as a response to those who want to see more of Ed, he's here. So read on!**

Well enough blabbing. Here's Chapter 6: Sweet Moments.

**-------------**

**Chapter 6: Sweet Moments**

It was Saturday. Riza woke up at 7 AM, took a bath then put on a white blouse and a simple blue skirt with pleats. Then she prepared the things she needed for the photo shoot. Some dresses, some shirts and skirts, and a pair of jeans. She also packed shoes and some accessories into the same bag. Then she placed her other belongings such as camera, laptop and cellphone in another bag. After making sure that she had everything, she got her stuff and went down. She went straight to the kitchen and wasn't expecting Beatrice to be there, eating a bowl of cereals. The little fight and surprise she had yesterday with Beatrice all seemed like a horrible dream to her. But seeing her seated at the table, eating Riza's cereal was enough proof that she wasn't dreaming.

"Morning Ri." Beatrice said after swallowing a spoonful of cereal. Riza placed her bags on a chair and got a bowl and spoon for herself. As she poured cereal and milk into the bowl, Beatrice looked at the big bags full of things.

"Going somewhere, Ri?" Beatrice asked, eyebrows raised.

"None of your business. I have a thing to do for school and I'm going to be at my classmates house." Riza said before eating her first spoonful of cereal. Beatrice fell silent at the reply. Riza was never this curt, nor this frank. She seemed different. Beatrice opened her mouth to speak but Riza silenced her with a glare.

"If you're planning on lecturing me, drop it." Riza said as she ate the last few spoonfuls of her cereals. After clearing out the bowl, she poured herself a glass of milk before glancing at her watch. It was only 7:15. Still enough time to either do Ms. Ramirez's homework or watch some TV. She stood up, wiped her mouth dry with a piece of tissue before putting her used utensils in the kitchen sink. Then without another word to Beatrice, she went up to brush her teeth and probably do her homework.

**-------------**

At exactly 7:45, the doorbell rang and Beatrice, to Riza's dismay, was the one who answered the door. Standing there was Roy, dressed in a pair of jeans and a green t-shirt that said: the Best of the Best.

"Oh hi there. You are?" Riza heard Beatrice say as she came down the stairs.

"He's my classmate. He's going to take me to his house. How'd you find your way here, Roy?" Riza said as she got her bags.

"I asked Daniella. She was online last night on the internet, and my sister Colleen was lecturing me on asking you your address. Can I take your bags?" Roy said as he stepped in and got Riza's bags. "You must be--" Riza cut him off.

"She's my cousin, Beatrice. Beatrice, this is my classmate Roy. Roy, we must be going now…"

"Oh right. Nice meeting you, Beatrice." Roy said, noticing the sudden change of tone in Riza's voice, as he headed out and Riza followed. When the door closed, Beatrice saw Roy opening the door for Riza and both of them getting in. In just a few moments, the car left.

"Oh no… I forgot to tell her about Michael again… Oh well, I'll just text him her number." Beatrice said after they left. She whipped out her cell phone and sent Riza's cell phone number to this Michael.

**-------------**

"I'm sorry about my cousin. She came over only yesterday and then she said she'd be staying with me. Totally unexpected. By the way… nice shirt." Riza apologized and complimented. They were seated beside each other inside the Mustang family's white Mercedes Benz.

"Oh, thanks. That's alright. Are you comfortable? When we get to my house, it's only my sisters and my brother who'll be there. My parents are out. Do you want anything for lunch? I can ask the cook to cook anything." Roy said.

"Oh, I'm alright with anything. You're pretty rich Roy. I mean to have a cook." Riza commented.

"My dad's a lawyer for a famous company, and my mom's a neurosurgeon. Plus my sister, Colleen, is also a lawyer like dad. My other sister, Isabelle, is studying to be a doctor and is taking her internship, like my mom. My two other siblings, Sarah and Christopher are still studying. I'm the middle child."

"Oh… so you have a pretty full house. I mean, you have four siblings."

"Don't you have siblings?" Roy asked her.

"No… my mom died when I was just six. And my dad, a scientist, traveled the world. So most of the time I was left at home. He was always at a conference, or doing some research at some far country. I was left home alone most of the time."

"Oh… I'm sorry for your mother. But what happened to your dad?"

"He contracted a disease while he was abroad. When we realized it, it was too late. He passed away four months ago." Riza explained sadly. She never talked about her family to anybody who wasn't family. Not even her friends in Crystal Springs. Now, Roy was the very first person who knew her family story.

"Well, come on. We're almost there. I'm sorry for asking you about that. I'll make it up to you with a delicious lunch." Roy said with a small smile as the car entered a posh subdivision, turned left at the first corner, and then went straight until they stopped in front of a light blue gate near the middle of the street. Before they got there, all they saw where white painted walls adorned with plants and flowers. There were no other houses on that side. The house was, putting it plainly, huge.

"Your house is big, Roy." Riza exclaimed.

"I know. That's why those guys love having group activities here." Roy said with a laugh. The gates were opened by some housekeepers and the car went inside. When the car stopped, a butler opened the door for Roy and Riza.

"Welcome back, Mr. Mustang. May I take those bags?" the butler greeted Roy.

"Oh yes, thank you, Harrison." Roy said handing him Riza's two bags. "Please bring those to the spare guest room, and make sure nobody gets anything from that bag."

"Yes sir. Welcome also, madam. Sir, your sister, Isabelle has been waiting for you."

"Oh right, thanks, Harrison. Follow me Riza." Roy said as they both got out of the car, and went through the big white doors decorated with gold ornaments.

"Oh Roy dear. There you are. Hannah and Katrina called. They said they'd be late. Not too late, but a bit late." A woman spoke as she came down the grand stairs. She was wearing a light blue blouse and a rather formal skirt and heels. She was carrying a doctor's coat on one arm and some papers in the other hand.

"Hello there, Isabelle. Leaving for the hospital now?" Roy asked his sister as the doors closed behind them. Isabelle had the same hair and eye color as Roy. And like him, she too was tall, but she was slender and thin.

"Yes I am. But I'll be back for lunch. I only have to drop this off then pick some stuff here and there. Oh and Sarah and Christopher are still asleep. Go and wake them will you? You know mom doesn't like it when they oversleep."

"Alright, alright. But why didn't you wake them up first when I wasn't here yet?" Roy asked his sister as she gave him a hug. Riza just stood, a few paces from where Roy was.

"Oh, well I had to print out something, and I had to charge my laptop. Typing that report drained the batteries of my laptop and I had to recharge it. Plus I had to take a call. Just do it Roy. Colleen will be back at around 2 I think. But mom and dad will be back for dinner. As always. As for me, I'm off. Take care of things alright? Oh and Franco will be here later to take your pictures." She said as she left, then her eyes caught Riza's eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry… you must be Roy's new classmate, Riza. Forgive me for blabbing on and on without introducing myself. I'm Isabelle Mustang, pleased to meet you, Riza Hawkeye. I have heard a lot about you. Roy talks so highly of you, even if you're just new here. Well, I hope you have a great time. Oh and Roy! I almost forgot. You're free to use the pool and the garden if you want. So I really must be going. See you later, Roy, Riza." She said as she shook Riza's hand and left.

"Sorry about Isabelle… she loves to talk." Roy apologized when they were alone. "You can go stay in the guest room and probably watch some TV or something. I'll just wake up my other siblings. Come on, I'll show you where it is." He said as he grabbed her hand. At this, Riza slightly turned a light shade of pink as she allowed Roy to lead her. She has never been this close to guys. She had always managed to maintain a certain distance, and she had never had a boyfriend before. She did have guy friends, but never a boyfriend.

They went up the stairs and to the second floor. They turned right when they were at the top of the stairs and went to the room at the very end. Riza noticed that the wall had family pictures. One, she could assume, was Roy's parents. Another one was with a little girl, and with the picture looking rather old, she could say it was Colleen, the eldest. There were more recent pictures, with all seven of them, and one picture, had only the five children. All of them had the same eyes and same hair color. When they reached the room at the end, Roy let go of her hand and opened the door for her. The room was nice. It was big and the walls had a light cream color. In the middle was a queen sized bed, and there was a closet and a dresser which had a mirror. There on a shelf, was the TV, and there were smaller chairs in there. The room's air con was on and it was a bit cold. Riza's bags were neatly piled on a chair in the corner.

"Wow. This is a really nice guest room." Riza said.

"Yeah, thanks. By the way, we'll be using the little ballroom downstairs… it's a really large room. There are also the gardens and the poolside. So for now, while waiting, you can stay here. I'll be back. I just need to fix everything. And if you're asking why you're going to use the guest room, well… too bad for them, they're late." Roy said with a smile and Riza nodded, smiling a bit, in reply. After that, he left and Riza could hear his footsteps fading. When she was alone, she gazed at the huge room and sat on the bed. It was really comfortable and nice. She turned on the TV but made the volume softer. Then she removed her shoes and lay down on the bed as she watched the morning news.

**-------------**

"Hey Riza, they're here… so we can start." Roy said after he knocked and opened the door. Riza sat up and nodded. She looked at the clock on the wall. It was already 9 AM.

"Alright. What's up first?" She asked, pulling up her long, blond hair into a ponytail.

"Hannah said it'd be nice if we have some casual photos first. So it's best in the garden. And Franco's there waiting."

"Alright. Are you dressing up now?" she asked as she got the bag with clothes.

"Oh yeah, I am. They're also dressing up now. I'll meet you downstairs."

"Okay, thanks Roy." She said as he closed the door. She stood up and opened the bag and took out some clothes and went into the bathroom.

**-------------**

Riza made her way down the stairs and was directed by Harrison to go straight into the garden. She hoped that her outfit was alright. She wore brown sandals, her denim skirt with pleats (that wasn't too short, nor was it too long), A white blouse and a blue bolero jacket. Her hair was down, and so she decided to use a white headband to keep it tidy.

The Mustangs' garden was very nice and neat. The grass was cut and there were many flowering bushes and trees here and there. She noticed that under a huge, flowering tree, there was a wooden swing. The pool had a mini waterfall, it's waters crystal clear and clean. Under the shade of another tree, Roy and their other classmates were sitting on a picnic table, drinking iced tea. As she went near, Hannah waved and smiled as Roy stood up and poured some iced tea for Riza. Aside from her classmates, sitting also at the table was a man wearing an all black outfit (including the shades) and a camera hanging from his neck. Riza could safely say that that was Franco.

"Hey there Riza." Darwin greeted her. The rest greeted her hi and hello as she sat down.

"Roy suggested that we'd drink some iced tea first then if we're all ready, Franco can start taking the pictures." Hannah explained. Riza nodded as she drank the iced tea Roy poured for her and thanked him afterwards.

When all of them were done drinking and resting and were finally ready, Roy allowed Franco to call the shots.

"Alright guys… and girls of course…" Hannah and Katrina giggled when he mentioned girls. Apparently, Franco was 'not straight' as Hannah placed it and Riza just accepted it. So he was explaining the things he wanted to see in the casual pictures and was thinking of who would go best in a picture.

"Alright, I've got it. Hannah, Ms. Flanders and Katrina, we'll go there where the f\grass is green and we can see the clear blue sky…" he said as he emphasized some of the words and pointed to a sunny area. "I want a 'jump shot'. You know what I mean right girls? So good that you're wearing the outfits appropriate and all, so let's start!" Hannah, Christina and Katrina got into position and when Franco gave the command, they jumped in the air, arms stretched, smiles on their faces. One picture down, just a few more to go. Darwin, Jennifer, and Ruben were up next. Their picture, as Franco instructed, was them playing a little game and they were running around. They looked like kids, according to him, which looked pretty good.

When that was done, he spent a while thinking a perfect picture location for Roy and Riza. After around ten minutes of mumbling and thinking out loud, his eyes caught the swing under the tree.

"Of course! That's brilliant!" He said jumping up from his seat. The others were startled at his giddy expression.

"What is it now, Franco? From that look on your face, you have something… er, big for me and Riza." Roy asked, standing up.

"It's not only big! It's perfect! This picture will get you the perfect score! Of course, as of now, I will have to admit that you two look very good together.. Unlike with that Christella girl." Franco said with a mischievous expression on his face. As for Roy and Riza, they were blushing as their other group mates started cat calling and shouting and all of them were all smiles.

"Hang on! Why didn't anyone tell me there'd be a pictorial here?" A voice called out. It was Hughes, and walking beside him, was Ed, who had a smirk on his face.

"Oh no… what are you guys doing here?" Roy said, slapping his forehead.

"What's wrong Mustang? Can't take a decent picture with us here? Hey Franco, give us a copy of that… Mr. Big shot here can use it for his campaign when he runs for Council president. Oh and we can give Ms. Ramirez a copy right Hughes?" Ed half joked, a mischievous smile on his face.

"Franco, don't give them a picture." Roy said with a groan. The others were just wither laughing or smiling. Riza was just amused. These three seemed to tease and bicker, but they were really good friends. Besides the fact that they were all on the student Council.

"Come on, Mustang. You're wasting time. Let's get this show on the road! It's already 10:30." Ed said, a smirk now on his face.

"I'm afraid I must agree, Roy… your little friend here is right that we are wasting time with this nonsense joking!" Franco said, picking up his camera. However, Ed, was steaming mad now.

"Don't you turn your back on me, Franco! DON'T CALL ME SMALL!!!" Ed shouted. Hughes was trying to calm him down, while Roy was just laughing his head off.

"Alright, Franco let's get started. I don't want to do this believe me. I'm alright with it, but can we ask the lady in question if she agrees with this shoot?" Roy said in a gentlemanly tone, and turned to face Riza.

"Well… I…." Riza started. She was thinking. Deep inside her, she was glad that Roy even asked her if she wanted to do this. Not a lot of guys were that considerate. Then again, Roy was different. 'It's only been a week, and I feel I'm getting really close to Roy.' She thought with a smile. "It's alright, Roy. I can deal with it." She said heading over to the swing before Roy. As she was slightly running, Roy had a big smirk on his face as he ran after her. Hughes elbowed Ed, who was laughing. As they got ready, the other sat on the picnic bench and watched them.

"Fantastic! Now this is what I want you two to do. Ms. Hawkeye, if you may, have a seat on the swing. Yes, yes, hold the ropes of the swing please do." Riza followed the order and sat down on the swing. She fixed her skirt and held the swing's ropes.

"Now, Roy. This is what I want you to do. Stand behind her, will you. After you do, hold her hands. I mean, place it over her hands… get what I mean? After, you two, look into each others' eyes and wait for my camera." Roy followed as well, and in no time, Franco was shooting away. After around 6-7 pictures, Roy interrupted the shoot.

"Er, Franco? How many shots did you take? Mind you, we need only one picture. And do not give that away I am telling you now." Roy said, menacingly. Franco, with a mischievous smile, hid the little slip of paper, which apparently was handed to him by Hughes. When Franco nodded okay, Riza stood up, but not without some help from Roy, which she accepted. Hannah, Kristina and Katrina ran up to her and congratulated her for the fantastic shoot and in no time, they were giggling. Meanwhile, Roy was talking to Ed and Hughes while the rest of their group mates watched them.

"Honestly, tell me now, why you're both here." Roy said, definitely annoyed.

"What's wrong with us being here, eh Mustang?" Ed asked, mocking Roy.

"Why you--" Roy started but Hughes cut him off.

"Well, I bumped into Ed, and we were passing by the school, and guess who came out? It was our dear, Ms. Ramirez. Oh, wish you were there. She was like, what are you two doing here? And we told her, we were just passing by. You know what she replied? Oh come on… seriously passing by? You two just love the school and you're here to work like I'm doing now. Oh dear. Anyway, Maes, if I may remind you, the club sign up day is on Wednesday… and Roy has the final list of clubs, so please tell him to submit it to me on Monday. Thanks you two." Maes said as he mimicked their teacher. "After that, she just waved bye and left. Honestly, you just got to love that sarcasm and frankness that she has." Maes added.

"Alright, alright. I know it's with me. I'm almost done with it. Maybe you can check it out, while I finish this shoot. We can all have lunch at…" Roy said, as he checked his checked his watch. It was 11:15. "Franco, can we have individual shots too?" Franco was looking through the pictures in his camera, and he looked up when Roy asked him that question.

"Oh yes of course, we have time. Before twelve, yes we can do it." Franco said standing up and stretching.

"Alright, while we're doing that…" Roy said as he turned back to Maes and Ed. "You two can double check the clubs list." By this time, Riza and the other girls were already listening.

"Hold it, hold it. I just don't wanna check some old list. I can stay here and watch the shoot." Ed said, a huge smirk on his face, definitely trying to irritate Roy. "I mean, Hughes can handle everything. Right?" Ed said as he turned to Hughes who nodded. Hughes also had a big smile and as he nodded, he winked at Ed.

"Oh fine. If you take any pictures or interrupt this shoot, I swear I will force you to fix those lists." Roy said with a threatening tone. Ed raised his right hand, as if to promise.

"Let's get started then, Franco." Hannah said.

**-------------**

It took them almost an hour to do the last part of the outside shoot. Roy was able to do a shot from the tree with a swing. Riza changed her clothes and wore denim pants that were at least a foot below her knees, and a matching baby pink shirt, and a nice bandanna which adorned her hair. She had her shot by the pool, her finger dipped into the pool's crystal blue water, creating small ripples. Hannah also had a shot by the pool and she 'tossed' water into the air, creating little drops like rain. Katrina, decided to a more quiet shot, and stayed under the tree and read a book. The rest either took it by the swing or by the pool or was playing little games of sorts. The whole shoot went smoothly, except maybe when Ed tried to take some pictures himself using a camera that Hughes gave to him when Roy wasn't looking, earning him a glare from Roy.

At 12:30, they were back inside the house and were about to eat. The cook prepared a delicious batch of Fettuccine Boscaiola with some bread and butter. They were also served chocolate ice cream and another glass of iced tea or water, if they wanted.

**-------------**

After lunch, they continued with the second part of the shoot, which had them wearing cocktail dresses, long gowns and tuxedos. Franco refused point blank to pair Riza or Roy with anybody else, which caused Ed to have a fit of laughter. Hughes merely smiled and was trying to tell Roy to accept the fact that he was 'falling in love'.

"I AM NOT IN LOVE." Roy half-shouted. Good thing, Riza or any of the other girls were there. In a while, the shoot was on the road with both Ed and Hughes still watching. Since there was no trouble, the shoot was finished in one and a half hour.

"Wonderful! Wonderful. Thank you for such a wonderful shoot, your pictures will be in tomorrow. Well, I bid you adieu and thank you so much." Franco said as he left with a big smile, definitely satisfied.

For the rest of the day, until around 5, when Roy had to take Riza home, despite the continuous teasing from Ed and Hughes, they were planning for their music presentation.

**-------------**

"Thank you for having me over, Roy."

"Oh sure… I was wondering why my siblings weren't bothering us at all… well whatever, good for us. But it's weird though… Colleen and Isabelle should have been home, but maybe they had to work. So, thanks for coming over also Riza. I hope you had a great day. I mean it's always like this every school year. The teachers have a lot of challenges up for us. Just expect more as the days pass by." In no time, they were in front of Riza's apartment. The lights were open, and that meant Beatrice was inside.

"Alright, James, I'll just bring Riza inside her house. Wait for me." He said as he stepped out of the car after Riza and made sure she got inside the house. As he left, Riza pulled back the curtains a bit and watched as Roy left. She smiled and went up to her room, not wanting to interrupt Beatrice who was watching TV, but was stopped when her cell phone rang. It was an unknown number. Beatrice, hearing the noise, went to the doorway near the stairwell.

"Oh, you're home. Welcome back, Ri."

"Hi Beatrice." Riza replied as she pressed the answer button on her phone. "Hello, Good afternoon. This is Riza speaking, who is speaking?" Riza's eyes lost her color and she paled when she heard the answer.

"Riza? Is that you? It's Michael."

**-------------**

**Mwahaha. Cliff hanger, I'm sorry. I'll apologize if this is a bit odd now… I mean if it isn't really well written. I'm under a lot of stress and I have no idea when I'll be able to update again. ******** But please, Read and Review… maybe I'll find time and this'll be quicker to update. Thanks! ****♥**


	7. A Turn of Events

Sorry for the wait… but here's chapter 7 of High School Life

**Sorry for the wait… a lot of things came up… I had to wait for school to end, holy week to pass and now I have to study for college entrance tests… ******** But I'll update now. ******

**Once more, FMA characters are not mine.**

**Chapter 7: A Turn of Events**

"Riza? Is that you? It's Michael." Riza couldn't believe her ears. She practically froze when she heard his voice. Michael was one of her closest friends when she was back home at Crystal Springs. Before she left however, she had a little fight with her friends and when Riza left her home for Midgale, she never was able to say good-bye.

"Hello? Riza? Answer me will you? I know you're there." The voice kept saying. In her panic, she pressed the hang up button. Then it hit her. She knew how Michael got her number. She turned to Beatrice who was starting to retreat back into the living room.

"It was you wasn't it, Beatrice… you gave Michael my number." Riza said quietly, her anger rising inside of her.

"So what if I did? It wasn't very polite of you to leave without saying good-bye to your friends…" She said, not facing Riza. Riza knew Beatrice had that guilty look on her face.

"What do you care about MY life?! I was willing to patch things up but then I had to move. Now you give him my number while I'm getting settled here? It's not that I don't want to patch things up with him, but now is not the time! And don't you dare give any personal information about me without MY consent."

"My, my Riza… don't be too angry because I gave your number to your closest friend. I just wanted to help you guys make up."

"Well, FYI Beatrice. I don't need your help as of now!" Riza shouted as she stormed up to her room. Riza slammed the door and Beatrice just let out a sigh. Riza always masked her emotions, but when she got mad, she'd really get mad.

"I'll go make dinner now." Beatrice told herself as she went into the kitchen.

"Riza! It's dinner time!" Riza was in front of her computer, trying to shut out Beatrice's call for her to come down to dinner. She was chatting with Sunny, who had given her email address on Friday before she left. In no time, most of her classmates had added her on their friend's list.

"_So, how was the shoot for you guys? It was terrible I swear. I mean, Ms. Hale's idea isn't bad, but being grouped with Christella is really bad. I mean all she does is whine and complain." _

"_Maybe you should tell Ms. Hale about her behavior?"_ Riza replied.

"_Yeah, get ready to experience her wrath. My mommy's going to get mad… blah, blah, blah…"_

"_Oh come on Sunny… you can't be serious."_

"_Yeah, she's been my classmate since first year. I'm pretty serious" _Riza could imagine Sunny's face right now.

"_Ouch. That's pretty bearable as compared to living with your cousin." _Riza replied.

"_Let me guess… you had a fight with your cousin?" _

"_Course. Turns out she gave my number to one of my closest friends back when I was back at Crystal Springs."_

"_And let me guess again. She didn't tell you?" _

"_Why would she and besides I was at Roy's for most of the day because of the project."_

"_Right… tell me about Crystal Springs."_

"_What do you want to know?" _Riza remembered all the happy memories back in that place.

"_Where is it anyway? Maybe I'll go run a website search on it…"_

"_No need. It's a small town on the outskirts of Midgale… near the mountains that's why there are hot springs there. It just takes a train ride to get there. Around 3 hours or so." _

"_It seems like a nice place… oops hang on, my sister needs to use. Wait I'll tell her to use the other computer" _Before Riza could reply, another window popped up. It was Roy. When Riza had logged on, she found more than 20 add-to-friends'-list requests, and one was from Roy.

"_Hey, sorry to bother you. But I forgot to tell you something."_

"_It's alright. What is it?"_

"_Uh… I didn't tell you that we needed write ups for the project in English. Really sorry but I forget these things… especially since Ms. Ramirez gave me a lot of work." _Riza couldn't contain the laughter. Even if she knew her adviser for only a week, she could tell that her personality was unique. She had this fun wacky side and a sarcastic and serious side.

"_No, it's alright. Can I give you the write up tomorrow?"_

"_Sure. No problem. Oh and before I forget, Mr. Davies told me to tell you that he's moving all presentations to either the second or third quarter. Apparently he'll be out for most of the first quarter."  
_

"_Thanks. Maybe I should send a message to all our classmates."_

"_No need. I did already so don't worry yourself. Here's what I can do. I'll send you a list of the teachers' contact numbers so you can contact them yourself." _

"_Thank you Roy. For everything I guess… I'll get it now."_ Riza couldn't hide the smile although no one could see her. She opened a Web browser and went to the email site. She found 1 new message. She opened her inbox and it was from Roy. She clicked it and downloaded the attachment. When it was done, she scanned it before opening the document. It contained a long list of teachers. And it was really long. The list was arranged according to subject. Then the list of teachers in that subject area were alphabetically arranged. There were six subject areas: English, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, PEHM (Physical Education, Health and Music), and an area with Computer, THE and elective classes. She scrolled down and she saw familiar names: her teachers. Their complete names and positions and subject/s taught came first before their contact details and birthdays.

The first she saw was Ms. Hale's name. It read HALE, Kathlyn Therese. English III, TD Head: Music and Dance.

'What's TD?' she thought. She opened Roy's inactive chat window and typed in her question.

"_Sorry to bother you Roy… what's TD?"_ Roy's reply came quick.

"_Oh, talent development… that's the clubs. Only the name is let's say… fancier, according to the TD chairman, Mr. Richardson. No seriously, that's the way he looks at it. :))" _

"_Oh, thanks Roy. When is the TD orientation again?"_

"_Wednesday. Homeroom period most likely."_

"_Alright. Thank you Roy. Oh and how did you get this list?"_

"_No Problem and… that's my secret. ;) Student council members have their ways. " _

When she cleared the meaning of TD (and laughed at Roy's rather obvious secret), she scrolled down. She saw the TD chairman's name: RICHARDSON, Ruben Michael. Journalism II. TD chairman. Scrolling down further she found her advisers name.

It read: RAMIREZ, Diana Lyn. World History. HRA III-A & Student Council Adviser. If Riza remembered correctly, Ms. Ramirez said her name was _Diane _and not _Diana. _When she saw the positions she held, she was amazed. Not a lot of teachers could take that much work. But Ms. Ramirez seemed like, well Riza couldn't place it in more simpler terms, a workaholic. She wanted to ask Roy again why Ms. Ramirez's name was listed at Diana but then, Sunny's chat window popped out again.

"_Sorry. It took a while to tell my sister to bug off. What did I miss?"_

"_Nothing much. Tell me, why is Ms. Ramirez's name listed on the teachers' list as Diana and not Diane?"_

"_Oh, that… well it seems her real name IS Diana but she doesn't really mind if you write Diana or Diane. She likes both. )) Why? Did Roy give you the super long teachers' list?"_

"_Yeah, how'd you know?"_

"_I was academic chairman last year, and Roy was also my classmate. He was Council Treasurer last year. He gave me a list similar to that. Whoops, now it's time for dinner." _

"_Oh yeah… Beatrice called me 4 or 5 times already. But whatever… I'll go down for dinner then. I'll do homework after dinner or I'll just watch TV before taking a shower then sleep. Bye."_

"_Bye." _Riza closed the window and Roy's window before signing out. She left the document Roy sent open before heading downstairs for dinner.

"There you are. If you heard, I probably called you four or five times." Beatrice was watching TV while eating dessert: chocolate ice cream.

"Don't start lecturing me now, Beatrice." Riza said as she went inside the kitchen to eat dinner.

"Fine." Beatrice muttered. She focused again on the show she was watching. It was a soap opera where in the main character, a girl named Clarisse, had a lot of family problems. During one of the commercial ads, the phone rang and Riza didn't bother get up to answer it. Beatrice answered the phone. It was her mother, Riza's aunt Maybelle.

"Hello mother. How have you been?" Riza could clearly hear what Beatrice was saying. She quickly finished up her food and drink before heading back to her room. She might not stand the conversation Beatrice was about to have, and to avoid any more outbursts, she decided to retreat to her room.

"Oh, I can't say everything's gone smoothly mother." Riza could hear Beatrice say as she went up the stairs. Beatrice's voice was a bit loud that it seemed to Riza that Beatrice was referring to her behavior lately. Deciding not to retort or reply to any of Beatrice's statements, she went up the stairs half stomping before entering her room and shutting her door with an audible slam.

"Riza?" Beatrice was knocking on Riza's door. Riza was in front of the computer chatting to Charm while trying to finish the last of the table for her history homework.

"What do you want?" Riza replied, rather irritated.

"My mom wants to talk to you." Beatrice replied through the closed door. Riza stopped typing and grabbed the cordless phone on her bedside table.

"Alright Beatrice, I'm free to talk now." Riza said as she pressed the talk button on the phone and put it to her ear. Beatrice must have had the other cordless phone because Riza was immediately able to talk to her aunt.

"Good evening, Aunt Maybelle." Riza said, a slight hint of boredom in her voice.

"Good evening Riza darling. How have you been?"

"Fine, thank you for the concern."

"How is school so far?"

"I'm coping and adjusting pretty well." Riza replied, becoming more bored as the conversation continued. She then continued reading her big, thick history book which was open on the pages regarding Egyptian Civilization.

"That's good to hear dear. Are there any problems? Beatrice tells me that you've been rather hot headed lately." Riza almost dropped the phone. She couldn't believe Beatrice would call her hot headed. Then again, this was Beatrice.

"I am not hot headed, Aunt Maybelle. There were certain situations wherein Beatrice breached my trust."

"Riza dear, please understand that like you, Beatrice is under a lot of stress."

"Aunt Maybelle, if that's the case then please tell Beatrice not to give out any of my contact details without my permission. Other than that, we might get along pretty well." Riza replied.

"I'll be sure to tell her that. Do you need anything else dear? I'm going to give your allowance and all the other things to Beatrice within this week. And I've already paid for your credit card. Your grandfather made sure you can use your credit card anytime."

"Alright. Thank you. I need to get back to my homework now. It's been nice talking to you Aunt Maybelle. Would you like to talk to Beatrice again?"

"No need dear. I'll let you get back to your homework now. I hope you can get top results again, and maybe you can land a spot in the Student Council like when you were here."

"Alright Aunt Maybelle. Thank you." Riza replied before hanging up. When that was done, she put the phone back in its dock and returned to doing her homework.

The next day, Riza finished double checking her write up at 9 AM before sending it to Roy through email. With all the homework done, she could relax and take a break. She logged online and saw that Sunny was online. She double clicked Sunny's name on her list and a chat window appeared.

"_Hey there Sunny. What are you doing now?" _It took Sunny only a minute to reply.

"_Nothing much. Why? Let me guess, you're done with your homework and you're bored. Just like me."_

"_Oh yeah… done with all the homework."_

"_Well then, you want to go to the mall?" _Sunny asked her

"_Sure. Can you pick me up?" _Riza asked.

"_No problem. I'll pick you up at, say 10?" _Sunny asked her.

"_Oh sure. I'll see you then." _Riza said before logging off. She then took a bath before dressing up. When she was all dressed, she had enough time to watch some television. But then again, she decided to go down and look for Beatrice. She had to tell Beatrice that she was leaving.

"Beatrice, are you there?" Riza called out from he top of the stairs.

"In the kitchen." Came the reply.

"I'm going to the mall with Sunny. I'll be back by say, two or three alright." Riza told her as she entered the kitchen.

"Sure go ahead. Have fun." Beatrice said with a small smile on her face.

At exactly ten, Sunny's car was outside. Riza said goodbye to Beatrice before leaving the house and getting in Sunny's car.

"Whew… what a relief. Finally I can get out of that house." Riza said, slumping onto one of the seats.

"It seems you had a big fight yesterday."

"Of course. My aunt called yesterday and Beatrice had to tell her how 'hot-headed' I was." Riza said as the car sped down the streets.

"Well, at least you don't have five other siblings." Sunny said, taking up a book and beginning to read it.

"I'd rather have five siblings who understand me than have a cousin who annoys you." Riza said looking at Sunny.

"Well yeah… anyway, are you done with the homework Ms. Ramirez gave us?" Sunny asked flipping the page

"Yeah… I was doing it last night while I was being lectured on the phone."

"I have a feeling we'll have a quiz tomorrow."

"How do you know that?"

"It's funny really… my sister, Corinne, saw me studying and doing the homework for world history and then she went 'Oh, be sure to study for a quiz. Ms. Ramirez loves unannounced quizzes.' Then she left.

"So she gives surprise quizzes. Alright, I'll keep that in mind. Ms. Ramirez has a vary interesting personality."

"You're telling me. Anyway, we're here at the mall now." Sunny said as the car stopped in front of a huge building with big, bold letters near the top saying: Midgale Mall.

"Joe, you can come back for us around 2 PM. Thanks." Sunny said as she and Riza got off the car. Together, they went inside the mall.

"Well anyway, so next week we're going to have the Club sign up day… or rather, Talent Development Sign Up Day. Oh well, I guess I'd sign up for Painting again. You, where do you want to sign up?" Sunny asked her as they were eating pizza at the food court.

"Um… I'm not really familiar with the TD Programs yet…" Riza said, taking a sip of her soda.

"Well, what are your talents?" sunny asked her, wiping her hands on a napkin.

"Well, I'm more of sports… remember, I told you that I liked sports especially ones that have something to do with targets." Riza said with a grin.

"Oh yeah… you've gone to a shooting range. Well we don't have that here… I mean at school, but we have a lot of different sports to choose from."

"I guess… maybe Volleyball or Karate."

"Yeah, you can go for those. But I suggest go for Karate. My sister Corinne is the teaching Karate." Sunny said.

"Really? Your sister is a teacher for Karate?"

"Yeah, when she got to college, she signed up for Karate and became so good at it and in no time, she had a black belt and was one of the best. And then she signed up to teach at Fountain Hill."

"Wow… I guess I'll go for Karate." Riza said, finishing her drink. "Are you ready to go? We have an hour or two." Riza asked Sunny.

"Yeah sure, let's go to the Book Store. I need stuff for school." Sunny said as they stood up and went to the direction of the book store.

"Wait…" Sunny said as she stopped Riza.

"What is it?"

"Look who it is. It's Christella and her little friends." Sunny said. She was right. It was Christella, Vanessa, Cornelia, Cass and Amber.

"What about them?" Riza asked her.

"Look who's coming out of the department store." Riza looked to the exit of the department store and saw Sophia, the batch representative, come out.

"It's Sophia."

"Exactly. Christella is very mean towards Sophia. She's still bitter that she lost."

"Christella lost the elections for batch representative?"

"'Course. It was chaos. Christella was crying and crying, even Ms. Ramirez couldn't do anything. The decision was final. The name that was announced by the principal is the winner." Sunny explained. For a moment they watched what was going to happen. Christella and her friends stopped Sophia in her tracks.

"Look who it is, girls… it's the _batch representative _Sophia." Christella said in a very mean tone. Her friends just laughed.

"What do you want Christella?" Sophia asked. Sunny tapped Riza's shoulder and they ducked behind some plants so that they wouldn't be seen.

"Oh nothing… how's being the batch rep? Oh wait, maybe you're doing terrible because I'm the one who won."

"Listen Christella. Ms. Ramirez talked to you about this. You lacked six votes."

"You bought those votes didn't you?" Christella replied.

"Listen Christella, if there's anyone who bought votes, it would have to be you. Now I really have to go." Sophia said as she started to leave. Christella grabbed the bag that Sophia had.

"Give that back, Christella. You're acting so immature."

"So what if I am? Let's see what you bought." Christella said as she was about to open the bag. Her friends huddled around her, blocking Sophia and preventing her from getting her bag back. Riza couldn't take it anymore and she left their 'hiding place'.

"Riza, where are you going?" Sunny whispered, but Riza was approaching Christella already.

"Hello there, Christella… what are you doing? Oh hi Sophia." Riza said with a smile on her face.

"Hawkeye…" Christella said as she straightened and sealed the bag. She forced a smile and her friends did the same.

"What are you doing Christella?"

"I just picked up this bag. Sophia dropped it." Christella replied with a hint of sarcasm and annoyance in her voice.

"That's nice of you. Give the bag back to Sophia then." Riza said, arms crossed. Christella was now very pale and her friends were surprised and rooted to the spot. Christella had no choice but give back the bag. It seemed that she threw the bag to Sophia, instead of handing it properly.

"See you, Hawkeye. Watch out, Davies." Christella said before she and her friends left. When they were gone, Riza turned to Sophia.

"Are you alright, Sophia?"

"Thanks… I'm used to them picking on me. She's just bitter."

"I heard…" Riza said.

"I really have to get going. Thank you for getting me out of that, Riza. I mean, even if you're new and we don't know each other well… I'll see you at school tomorrow." Sophia aid with a smile before leaving. As Sophia left, Riza could feel someone was watching her. When she turned, she saw no one. Sighing and thinking she was imagining things, she went back to where Sunny was.

"Alright… we can go now." Riza said to Sunny as Sunny stood up.

"Christella's just so mean. She's mean to a lot of people, except to her friends… and to Roy. She has a liking for him." Sunny said as she and Riza made their way to the book store. Riza didn't dare tell Sunny about the feeling of being watched.

In no time, they were done and were just waiting for Joe to come with the car. They were seated at an ice cream parlor near the exit so that they can see if the car was there. Riza was silently enjoying her ice cream while Sunny was looking around for some other people she knew. Then Riza could see someone they both knew. It was Ms. Hale.

"Hey Sunny… I see Ms. Hale over there." Riza told her. Sunny's head spun immediately to the direction of Ms. Hale and saw that she wasn't alone. She was with a man whom Riza didn't recognize. But it seemed Sunny did, and she started squealing softly, looking so excited.

"Why? Who is that?" Riza asked her.

"That, is Mr. Richardson. The TD chairman. I knew it! They are together!"

"Together?" Riza asked, puzzled. Just then, the car came up, and Sunny stood up, picked up her packages, and dragged Riza out to the car. When they were in the car, Riza asked Sunny why she was squealing.

"Well, they are one of Fountain Hill's most talked about teachers. They are just so cute together!" Sunny said, still excited. Riza could just smile at her friend's reaction.

Both were silent for the rest of the trip home. Riza was home at 3 and she said thank you to Sunny before she watched Sunny's car leave. When Sunny was gone, she went inside, bringing her purchases and went straight to her room, not even wondering if Beatrice was there or not.

And taking Sunny's advice, she put her bags on her bed and pulled out her History book from her bag and started studying for a surprise quiz.

**I really am sorry for not updating… ******** I just couldn't find the time anymore. Now I'm making chapter 8 already, and I hope to finish it before I take my review lessons for college. I have a busy summer ahead, and I hope you'll like this chapter. And thank you for the reviews. I appreciate you adding my story to your favorite list, but I also appreciate it if you review. ;) And if you're asking where I based the characters (minus the FMA characters)… the teachers I based on my teachers, and the students are based on some of my friends and classmates. ******** there you have it! Enjoy.**


	8. The Next Few Days

Hey

**Hey. I'm trying to update this as much as I can… given the time I have before I have college review. ;) Anyway, here's chapter 8: The Next Few Days**

**And all FMA characters are not mine. ******** Although I do wish they were mine. :))**

**Chapter 8: The Next Few Days**

"Alright, settle down, I'm in." It was Monday morning, and they were starting the day with a 15 minute homeroom period. So it was Ms. Ramirez taking the reins. Everyone sat down and was quiet.

"Now, that's the way I like it." Ms. Ramirez said jokingly. "Now, I'd like to remind you again of the following activities this week: Wednesday, last two periods, Students' orientation. Friday: Club Orientation and Sign up day. If we're lucky, next week or the week after next, we will have the elections for the final officers of this class. And there's a new activity. Monday next week, we will have Freshman Day. Now most of you know that Freshman Day is celebrated every year to help make the freshmen feel at home here in Fountain Hill High School. Maybe that's all… let's see…" She flipped through the papers she had. "IDs will be released week after next. Ms. Hawkeye, you will have your picture taken tomorrow. I will give you more instructions tomorrow… that's the last of the reminders. So let's see… you still have ten more minutes so I know that some of you have to cram the homework in History, so I'll give this time." She said with a wink before heading over to the teacher's table and sat down on the chair.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" She joked. Almost everyone pulled out either their world history notebooks or their chemistry books. Ms. Ramirez was fixing all the papers in her folder.

"Roy? Can you come over here?" Ms. Ramirez said as she looked up from the work. Roy stood up and pulled out a folder from his bag. Riza was sure that the folder had the Club listings for the year. From the corner of her eye, she saw Ms. Ramirez say something to Roy which made him smile a bit. Five minutes before the 7:45, the bell rang and Ms. Ramirez stood up and made her way to the back door.

"I'll see all of you later. Be sure that all your homework is finished." She told them before leaving the room. As soon as she left, Ms. Carmichael came in and the whole class stood to greet her. In no time, they were starting their lesson on the history of the Atom.

"I think we still have time for our first quiz." Ms. Carmichael said as she looked at the clock hanging above the blackboard. They had five minutes more but the bell hasn't rung yet.

"So… shall we have that quiz?" She said as she turned to face the class.

"But Ms. Carmichael… the bell's going to ring in a while." Ted contested. A lot of people were also grumbling and complaining, including Christella, who was whispering to her friends while throwing glares at Ms. Carmichael.

"That's enough! That's not the behavior I expect from the advanced class. We will have that quiz and there will be no complaining. If that bell does not ring in the next minute then, we will have a 20 point quiz. CLEAR?" Ms. Carmichael half shouted, silencing the class. Riza couldn't believe that it was just the second week, and the class already committed a foul against a teacher. While waiting for the minute to be over, Riza read her notes, expecting the long quiz. Then the bell rang twice, the first one signifying last five minutes and the second one saying that class was over, and some people had the guts to shout 'Hurray!' earning them a glare from the teacher. Knowing she was defeated, she collected her things before stomping off to leave.

"This will of course reach your adviser." She told them as she left the room and shut the door with a slam. Sighing, Roy stood up and checked if Ms. Stanley was there. She wasn't there yet. So he took the time and decided to talk to his classmates.

"What the hell was that about?! That was very disrespectful. You should have just let her give us the quiz and we would have made any damage. But no, you had to go on and piss her off. That's pretty stupid, I'll tell you that. It's just the second week people. I understand you miss summer vacation and doing nothing but taking it out on a teacher and refusing to take a quiz is dumb and disrespectful. That's why if Ms. Ramirez gets mad, be ready for it. I'm telling you now; you have to face the consequences." He told his classmates in a loud voice. Riza was amazed on how he could tell his classmates off without him being afraid of getting ostracized for it. She wished she could do it too… but she never got the chance to do it at her previous school. She was elected third year batch representative for that school year but she didn't get a chance to fulfill her role because at the end of the last school year, a lot of things happened. Her father died, her mother's family took over caring for her and their property and then the decision came to enroll her at a different school in Midgale, away from all the problems that came and with the hopes that Riza would have a better future. Riza was enjoying her stay at Midgale and she definitely enjoyed studying at Fountain Hill.

"Riza?" Riza snapped out from her thoughts. Roy was talking to her. He was still standing up, apparently still annoyed and a bit mad, and was still facing their classmates.

"Yes, Roy?" She asked, closing her Chemistry notebook, and looked up at Roy.

"Go and check if Ms. Stanley is present will you?" He asked, facing her and looking her in the eye. She nodded in reply, before slowly standing up to leave the room. She quietly closed the door and went down to the faculty room.

When she got there, she knocked on the door of the faculty room and asked for Ms. Stanley. Teachers who were in the room looked for Ms. Stanley before a tall, male teacher came out to face her. He had green eyes hiding behind his square framed glasses and chestnut brown hair.

"Are you from III-A?" He asked. Riza nodded, slightly fidgeting with her tie.

"Oh, you must be Riza Hawkeye. I've heard a lot about you. Anyway, Ms. Stanley is absent. She said she ahs family matters to attend to and she left you a seatwork. Oh I'm sorry for not introducing myself by the way. I'm Mr. James Thompson, the math coordinator of the school." He told her before extending his right hand, which Riza shook, a smile on her face.

"Well, I'll give you the seat work now so you won't lose time in doing it. Please give it to me during lunch time. I'll give you until lunch, but remind your classmates not to do your seat works during other class periods. Nice meeting you, Ms. Hawkeye." He said as he handed her a piece of paper that he had in his left hand before he going back inside the room.

Riza read the instructions first before heading back upstairs. And what she saw there surprised her a lot. It wasn't Roy who was speaking to the class. It was Ms. Ramirez. She knocked on the door first before opening it.

"Oh, Ms. Hawkeye. Please, join us. I'll give you enough time to do that seat work." She told Riza. Riza could tell that she had already heard from Ms. Carmichael. She was really mad, and there was nothing anyone, not even Roy, could do. Riza made her way to her seat before Ms. Ramirez continued to speak.

"I'm glad Roy knocked some sense into your heads. That may have saved me time in doing so. But that was not the behavior I expected from this class! I expected better. This school year has only begun and yet, you've created trouble for yourselves. I even heard from your teacher that some of the class officers were in this. You should know better! That's why your classmates put you in that position. So do your job! I hope this never happens again. And I will not just let you off with a warning. I will reshuffle your seating arrangements. I will give the finished seating arrangement to Ms. Montgomery or to Ms. Hawkeye and I expect you to follow. Clear?" She asked the class. She wasn't in her friendly mood, unlike when school started. The class already reached their limits and it was only the second week of classes.

"Ms. Hawkeye, please write your seat work on the board, and then I want you, Roy and Daniella to go outside. I would like a word." Riza nodded in reply before standing up and going to the board. She took a piece of chalk, wrote down the seat work and the instructions on the board, before following Daniella and Roy outside. Before leaving, she could see that Christella was very upset. Riza had a vague idea why she was mad. Christella was class representative and yet, she was not included in that meeting. But Riza knew that Christella was one of those who disagreed with Ms. Carmichael's decision to have a quiz. She closed the door and shook off all those thoughts.

"I'm sorry to have disturbed your class, although I know that Ms. Stanley isn't here." Ms. Ramirez started. She was seated on top of the lockers, facing the three.

"Now, I want to know what actually happened. Anyone can tell me." She told the three. She was still serious. It was no joking matter. Roy looked at Riza, who looked at Sunny.

"Ms. Ramirez, five minutes before the bell, Ms. Carmichael announced that we would have a quiz. She didn't say how many points there were in the quiz…" Sunny started.

"I see… and then some of your classmates protested on having a quiz five minutes before the bell." Ms. Ramirez finished Sunny's statement. Sunny nodded, signifying that Ms. Ramirez got everything correct. "So what did she do next?"

"She made a bargain with us. If the bell didn't ring by the next minute, she'd give us a 20 point quiz. But the bell rang… twice. So of course some of our classmates were so happy they couldn't contain their happiness." Roy said, slightly leaning on one of the lockers.

"Well, the bell is always late… Roy, make sure we'll tackle that next Student Council meeting." Ms. Ramirez said with a sigh. "And then she stormed out of the room but not after telling you that your behavior will reach me… and it definitely did." She said, rather frustrated. Her arms were crossed and later she assumed her 'thinking' position: some of the fingers on her right hand were near her mouth. "None of you had the chance to apologize?" She asked.

"No, miss. The minute the bell rang, she gathered her things and stormed out. After she left, Roy checked if Ms. Stanley was there before lecturing us." Riza answered.

"Alright… I'll explain how come I got the message quickly. I don't have a class every Monday, 2nd period." Ms. Ramirez explained, a small smile on her face, replacing the frustrated look. "So I was basically hanging out at the faculty room when Ms. Carmichael came in and told me everything, then I went up here. So that's that. Now this is what I will do: I will remove Christella as temporary class rep, but that will not disqualify her if she decides to run for the 'real thing'. Daniella, you will replace her as the temporary class rep. Riza, the position of Discipline chair will be vacant and until the elections, it will remain vacant. I want you, Roy and Daniella to work together to 'fill' in that position. I know it will be hard for Roy sometimes as he has a lot of responsibilities, but that's why I asked you and Daniella here. So, I'll give you the finished seating arrangement before the end of recess and by the next subject, you should be in your new seats. I'll let you go back to the classroom so you can do your seat work. I'll see you later." Ms. Ramirez said as she hopped off the lockers and lazily waved before leaving the three. She turned to leave through the fire exit, and Riza, Sunny and Roy went back to the classroom (with Roy opening the door for Riza and letting her go in first and Sunny following her.)

Ms. Ramirez kept her word. By recess, she had called Riza out again and gave her the new seat plan. Riza took a piece of chalk and drew the seat plan on the board. She was still going to be seated beside Roy, in the second row. She was beside the teacher's table, and Roy was going to be seated to her left. Sunny was moved to the third row, left side of the aisle. Christella was in the first row, left side of the aisle. Her friends were scattered, and none of them were near Christella. Ted was moved to the last row, right side of the aisle, near the air con. Charm was going to sit behind Riza. When she was done with the diagram, she wrote her adviser's instructions on the board. Then she took her things and moved it to her new place. Sunny and charm came in, with a drink for Riza, and took one look at the diagram before handing the drink to Riza and moving their things. Riza went out to drink and was leaning on the locker when Christella came up with her friends.

"Did I hear correctly? There's a new seating arrangement?" Christella asked Riza in a loud voice.

"Yes, you did… well if you weren't listening to Ms. Ramirez the first time, then I'm telling you that the seat plan is already on the board." Riza calmly said, taking a sip of her Iced Tea.

"Fine, and what is this I hear about Daniella taking over as class rep?" Christella asked her again, arms crossed.

"Wow, you have pretty good hearing." Riza started rather sarcastically. "Yes, Daniella is replacing you. Ms. Ramirez said so… after your little stunt Christella." Riza finished. Christella just looked at her, surprised, and was on the verge of blowing up. Her friends were just calming her down.

"You could have done something Riza!" Vanessa whined.

"Yes Riza! You could have asked Ms. Ramirez to reconsider this!"

"What can I do? Actually, if you ask me, I agree with Ms. Ramirez's decision. I thought you were the nice girl. One who's fit to be a true leader. But I was wrong. First impressions really don't last. After I saw how you treated Sophia, my thoughts about you changed. You've been acting really mean Christella. Maybe Ms. Ramirez did this to make you think. At least she didn't disqualify you from --"

"I get it Riza! So you've decided to side with the goody-goodies now did you? Well, that's your life. Watch out Riza. Come girls, we have to move because someone said so." Christella said in a mean voice before going in the room. Riza just watched them with an annoyed look on her face before finishing her drink.

"What was that about?" Riza turned and saw Roy standing behind her.

"Oh Roy… it was nothing. Christella was just mad."

"I noticed." He replied, not looking surprised at all. "Well, I'll go in and fix my things. You better hurry up. There's only five minutes until the bell rings. I think after what happened, Ms. Ramirez may make sure that the bell rings on time." He said half joking. She nodded and he went inside the classroom. She threw her trash in the garbage can before going back to the room, just as the bell rang.

"Well, I see you've settled in your new seats. Get a half sheet of paper; we'll have our quiz on Egyptian Civilization." Ms. Ramirez said when she got in their room. English went by pretty quickly. Explaining what happened to Ms. Hale was pretty easy. Now, it was Ms. Ramirez in their class.

"Excuse me, miss. You didn't say anything about a quiz." Christella said, raising her hand.

"Oh. Well let me tell you this. All of you. I can choose whether or not to give a quiz announced or unannounced. And to think I was going to give you a review. But since you want to have the quiz, _it shall be to my enjoyment."_ She replied to Christella's statement. She looked at Roy and Riza and she winked, making the two giggle although rather softly. Sunny looked at Riza, a wide grin on her face.

"Ms. Ramirez… I apologize for what happened." Christella said standing up. Ms. Ramirez was writing on the board. She turned and looked at Christella, as though she was scanning to see whether Christella was sincere. If she wasn't sincere, Ms. Ramirez just decided to play along.

"Alright. I wasn't everyone to learn from that. Tomorrow, I want you to apologize to Ms. Carmichael. Clear?"

"Yes, miss!"

Tuesday came and went. And the class did their end of the bargain. They had Chemistry first thing in the morning and Christella was the one who apologized to Ms. Carmichael on behalf of the class. The teacher accepted it and gave the long due 20 point quiz. That was the end of the issue.

Before Chemistry class ended, Ms. Ramirez called Riza and asked her to proceed to the conference room for her ID picture. It was done pretty quickly, and Riza went straight to recess after.

Wednesday was the day of the students' orientation.

They had Mr. Davies' class first thing in the morning. They talked about having song leaders to start and end the class, having music trivia every meeting and then he let them watch videos of previous classes during the Song fest. The Song Fest according to him was a school tradition that happened every year. Each class would make their own song: compose the lyrics, create the music and get the whole class to sing it. The whole time they were watching, Mr. Davies was seated on the teacher's chair. Once in a while he'd ask Riza some questions, before going back to watching the video. However, he lost track of the time, and he ended up leaving the class at 8:40. When he left the room, they could clearly hear him apologizing to Ms. Ramirez. When he was gone, she came in and immediately started the lesson.

Midway through their lesson on Near Eastern Peoples, Ms. Ramirez told them what was going through her mind while waiting.

"I was wondering what you guys were doing in Music class… no wonder, it was Mr. Davies. I just hope he won't do that again. It annoys me when teachers dismiss their classes late, and I'm the next one. Wastes my time and it lessens our time to learn beautiful stories in world history." She told them, with an impish grin on her face. The class laughed in reply.

"Oh well… next time, can someone just remind him of the time? Thanks." She told them.

During the 15-minute homeroom period, Ms. Ramirez was still in her cheerful, bubbly self. This meant that she was rather sarcastic, a habit which Riza has grown accustomed to.

The next few classes went by pretty quickly and soon it was lunch time. As soon as Ms. Stanley collected their quizzes and left the room, Sunny went out and dragged Riza to the canteen. She sat down beside Sunny, Charm and Bianca, and soon they were joined by a few more girls and some guys. Some were Riza's batch mates, the rest were Bianca's batch mates. Sunny was rather enthusiastic in introducing Riza to her friends and so was Bianca. They lost no time in swapping stories, and they were just having a great time.

"Maybe we can stay at the tennis courts or at the tent during break time…" Bianca said in between bites of her sandwich.

"That depends… I don't think they'd allow people to eat at the tennis courts, but it's fine to stay at the tent. As long as I don't get hit by those damn volleyballs." Sunny said, rolling her eyes when she mentioned volleyballs. From the corner of her eye, Riza could see Christella and her friends chatting and once in a while looking at them, and once in a while looking at Roy, who was with Maes and Ed at the students' council table.

"What are you looking at?" Riza was startled when Sunny asked her the question.

"Nothing… I just saw Christella and her little gang."

"Nothing new about that. Let me guess, they were whispering and once in a while looking at us or she was looking at Roy."

"You know, maybe you should be a fortune teller… you really know what I saw or what I was thinking." Riza said, giving Sunny an amazed look.

"Oh come on seriously… let me guess… you're not attracted to Roy are you?" Sunny asked, teasing Riza. Riza looked away but Sunny could see that she was turning pink.

"Hey Charm, is she turning pink?" Sunny asked Charm.

"Yeah why is Riza turning pink?" Charm replied.

"That's because Ms. Hawkeye is falling in love…" Sunny teased, slightly imitating Ms. Ramirez's tone.

"Oh shut up. As if you won't fall in love, Sunny." Riza retorted, punching Sunny in the arm.

"Ouch… I don't think you need to take karate classes anymore… as for me falling in love, definitely no way. I'm proud to be single!!" Sunny said as she stood up to throw her trash. Riza followed her and the two ended up laughing.

At the other side of the canteen, at the students' council's table, Roy was caught up in the same situation. This time, it was Maes and Ed teasing him.

"Somebody's in lo-o-ve…" Ed teased in a sing song voice.

"About time! I thought you'd never get a girlfriend! I mean, look at me. I'm perfectly happy even if my girlfriend isn't in this school, but it's nice to have a perfect angel to make you happy when you're down… but no one's going to replace my Gracia!"

"Oh shut it. I am not in love. I'm just watching out for her. I mean Ms. Ramirez asked me to make sure she adjusts well here."

"And I think she's already adjusted and you're just in love." Ed said with a snicker.

"Well I'm not the only one who's in love. I hear Ed's in love too… only your dear girlfriend is in the Midgale high school on a scholarship… like your brother right? Maybe she should find out that you're falling in love with another girl here." Roy snapped back.

"Why I ought to --" Ed started, wanting to punch Roy, but Maes stopped him.

"Hold on. You two are Council members, so no fighting… let's all get along! Everyone's in love… it is pretty early to find a prom date, Roy."

"I AM NOT LOOKING FOR A PROM DATE." Roy said as he stomped off.

"I'll bet he is." Ed muttered.

"Well then I bet that by the end of this month, those two will be inseparable… especially with the projects coming up." Hughes said.

"Fine, what's the catch?" Ed said, finishing his drink.

"I'll treat you to a free lunch if I'm wrong." Hughes told Ed.

"Deal." Ed said as he shook Hughes hand, wide grins on both their faces.

**So there's chapter 8… really sorry. My college review classes begin tomorrow. So I'll really try to update but I can't promise when the next will be up. XP Sorry!! But on the good side, I got my report card back and it was great! Thank you so much to Ms. Sarenas, although you might never see this. ;) Thanks. Please review!! ******


	9. The Club Sign Up Day

Thank you so much for all those who reviewed

**Thank you so much for all those who reviewed. ******** I appreciate them a lot. Now I get to update, but I'm really sure the next one's gonna take a while. So, here's Chapter 9: The Club Sign Up Day.**

**Once more, all FMA characters are not mine, but the rest, are mine.**

**--**

The days before the club sign up day had Roy and the rest of the council members working over time. Roy had asked to be excused for the morning classes because of the final preparations for the Sign Up Day. Ms. Ramirez herself had to leave ten minutes before the bell rang because she was going to supervise the council members. Periods were shortened and the sign up day was right after lunch.

"So anyway, I'll introduce you to Corinne later. She'll probably be happy that you'll be joining the Karate club."

"Your sister sure sounds nice." Riza and Sunny were eating at the canteen, and Sunny was telling Riza about the sign up day which was going to happen later in the day.

"Oh you've never heard her speak yet… she's pretty scary when she talks. Scares the hell out of Bianca actually." Sunny said with a chuckle, eating her French fries.

"She's a talented speaker?"

"Debate champion when she was in high school. Editor in chief of the school paper. Graduated second honors for that." Sunny replied.

"Wow… you guys are so… popular and talented."

"Oh I wouldn't say popular." Sunny said with a sly smile on her face.

"You're just too modest."

"Well, if I'm modest, what can you say about yourself." Sunny asked Riza.

"All I can say Riza's one of the nicest people I've ever met." Both girls turned to face the one who spoke. It was Roy, looking very tired and exhausted. Riza masked her surprise with a smile.

"Oh hi Roy. How's the preparations coming?" Riza asked him.

"I wish I could say it was going smoothly, but I really can't." Roy said, ruffling his already messy hair.

"Did you have lunch already?" Riza asked him.

"Afraid not… I still have a lot of things to finish. Well, speaking of the Sign Up day, can I talk to you for a moment, Riza?" Roy asked her. Riza was about to answer when Sunny spoke.

"I'll leave you two sweethearts alone." Sunny said with a wide grin as she stood up to leave.

"Sweethearts?!" Roy and Riza both exclaimed at the same time. Sunny couldn't help but laugh and then she left. Roy was surprised for a few seconds before Riza tugged his sleeve and asked him to sit down.

"What did you want to talk about Roy?" She asked, finishing the last of her mineral water. Roy was still ruffling his hair, and he seemed to be thinking of what to say.

"Well, I told you that not a lot of things were going smoothly today right? Well, the emcees are absent today and I volunteered to host the thing. But Ms. Ramirez wanted me to ask anyone to help out… do you think you can help me host?" He asked, looking at her.

"I don't now, Roy… I'm new here, and I don't know a lot of the students here." She said, fixing her tie.

"So what if you're new? I really know you can do this that's why I asked you first." He told her, trying to persuade her.

"I just don't know. I'm afraid of getting criticized especially since Christella's pretty mad at me right now." Riza softly said.

"Who cares about what Christella thinks? I don't care about what she thinks. You can do it Riza. Not only this hosting… I have a feeling that there are more things to come, and you'd really make a great leader. Let me ask you, if someone offered you a job like becoming a part of the council, would you accept it?" He asked her. He had enough guts to hold one of her hands. She was just surprised, but didn't show it. Neither did she pull her hand away.

"Honestly… I would accept the job. Before I came here, I was supposed to be part of the council, but I left. But I'm sure that would be impossible." Riza said, shaking her head.

"Well, think of it as you being a special member of the council for the day. Will you do it? Please Riza, please do it…" He begged her. Riza wanted to decline the offer, but a voice told her to go for it.

"…Oh fine, I'll do the hosting job with you." She finally said. Roy's face split into a smile.

"Yes! Oh thank you Riza! Thank you, you don't know how much this will help us get this job done." Roy happily said. And then Riza found herself in a big hug from Roy.

"Thank you, Riza."

"Alright, alright… you're so happy." Riza said, softly laughing.

"Because I've been so stressed and you accepting to help me, help us, is a great help to us. Thanks a lot! Tell you what; go to the Council office right after you finish here. Bring your stuff with you. Ms. Ramirez will brief us. The office is at the very end of the hall, beside the faculty room." Roy told her. Riza could just smile and nod.

"Alright, I'll see you then Roy. I'll be there; I'll just throw this and get my things. I also have to tell Sunny where I'm going. She might look for me everywhere." Riza told him as he stood up to leave.

"Alright I'll see you there." He told her with a smile as he left. A few moments after he left, Riza stood up and left the canteen. She went straight up to her classroom, put back her books in her locker, got her bag, told Sunny where she was going and quickly left the room. She took the staircase at the very end of the hallway (the opposite staircase, near the 2nd year rooms) because she'd end up in front of the council office.

In no time she was in front of a white door with a small, narrow window. She peeked in first before she knocked. Sure enough, Roy, Ms. Ramirez and Maes were inside.

"Am I interrupting anything?" Riza said as she opened the door and stepped inside.

"Oh of course not. Thank you so much for helping us out Ms. Hawkeye. I know that you're practically new to the system and the Talent Development program, but I'm sure if you listened to Mr. Richardson's speech during the students' orientation, then I'm sure you'll feel that you've been here for quite some time. Now... if Mr. Mustang here informed you, our hosts are absent today and I will give them a long lecture for that, but anyway, you will open and close the 'show' and you will also give out reminders and the like… and then after, you can go pick your program. I hope you have made your choice already." Ms. Ramirez told Riza after she took a seat beside Roy.

"Yes, I already made my choice." Riza said with a curt nod.

"What are you taking, Riza?" Hughes asked her as he polished his glasses. Hughes didn't look as tired as Roy looked. He was cheerful as always.

"Erm… I'm taking up Karate."

"Ooooh, Karate. Watch out Roy… in no time, she could be kicking your butt." Hughes joked, punching Roy's arm.

"Oh shush… can we tell her what we're supposed to do now?" Roy asked rather impatiently. 

"Tell her what program you're taking, Roy." Hughes told him. Ms. Ramirez was just listening intently and once in a while she'd raise an eyebrow and laugh.

"I don't want to tell her… if I will, I'll tell her later when we're alone."

"Awww, somebody wants some alone time with Riza." Hughes teased in a sing song voice. Ms. Ramirez laughed and Riza turned slightly red and she avoided anyone's gaze.

"Better some alone time with her than with you." Roy said as he was about to punch Maes on the arm but Ms. Ramirez stopped him.

"No fighting in MY office." She told him, half-joking, eyebrow raised again. Roy had to surrender.

"Alright, I'll get you next time, Hughes."

"Oooh, easy on that, Roy… you don't want to lose that chance to become president right?" Maes said joking. Even Roy had to laugh on that one. After that, silence ensued for a while until Riza asked Roy what she was supposed to do. Roy told her everything she needed to know, and somehow, she felt like she was happy that he asked her to host with him.

"Riza, do you have any questions?" Roy asked her, shattering her moments of thinking.

"Oh, no it's fine. I understood everything. But what program are you signing up for, Roy?" She asked him. Ms. Ramirez stood up and went to her computer and started printing some papers. Hughes was arranging the program lists. When Roy was sure no one was listening except Riza, he whispered to her.

"Well, you see… I'm taking up Chess, all because I'm the captain of the school's chess varsity team. I know it's pretty stupid, I mean other guys in our level would love sports like karate and baseball and probably you're thinking that it was so stupid of me to pick chess and --" he was cut short by Riza who also whispered her reply.

"It doesn't matter what program you're in as long as you enjoy it right? Besides… I don't think chess is a stupid sport."

"Well, do you enjoy karate?" He asked her again, still whispering.

"It's a new thing for me, but I generally enjoy sports that will be a form of self-protection to me. I actually wanted something that involved shooting targets like archery and target shooting, but Sunny told me that this school didn't offer it. Well, neither did my previous school for that matter." She told him, no longer whispering.

"That's good to hear. I hope that this is going to be a great day for you." He told her with another one of his rare smiles.

**--**

In no time the lunch bell rang and students filed outside their classroom to proceed to the big, air conditioned gymnasium near the sports complex. Ms. Ramirez had to go up to their classroom to make sure they were ready to leave. Roy, Riza and Maes, along with other council members went to the gym ahead of the others. Riza had never seen the gym before. To put it simply, it seemed huge to her. There were bleachers and a huge parquet area, where the club booths were. She saw people adding their finishing touches to the booths. She saw teachers and club instructors making sure that the program was going to go smoothly.

"Do you want to look around first?" Roy asked her as they walked towards the stage where there special chairs for the hosts, the council members and school administrators.

"I'll see them all later right? I want to get a good view from the stage first." Riza replied.

"You don't have a case of the stage fright right now, do you?" He teased her.

"Of course not! What made you think I had stage fright?" Riza asked him in sharp tone. "Not unless, you're underestimating my, shall we say… hosting abilities?" She gave him a look that rivaled that of Ms. Ramirez.

"I was just kidding. No seriously I was… man, you're like a mini Ms. Ramirez." He told her as they went up the stage to their seats.

"So what if I am a mini Ms. Ramirez? Is that wrong?" She asked him, playing along.

"Of course it isn't wrong! Why don't you take a look at the booths first?" Roy told her. People were starting to enter the gym and moving to the bleachers. From where they were Riza could see the Karate booth. She thought she saw Christella by one of the more colorful booths.

"No need. The students are already here. I'd rather wait for the thing itself… Roy?"

"Yeah?" He replied rather absent-mindedly. He was watching the students sit down on the bleachers.

"Is that Christella I see by that Blue and Gold booth?" Riza asked as she sat down beside him. Roy looked for the booth Riza described.

"Yeah that's Christella. That's the Modern Dance Booth. You see, Christella's the cheer dance captain and all cheer dance members have to be part of the Modern Dance Program." He said turning away from the booth and looking at something else. By then, Ms. Ramirez had entered the gym and as she passed by council members, she'd tell them to get on the stage.

"How long will this last?" Riza asked.

"Depends. Mind you, Mr. Richardson's still going to say his speech before the actual sign up activity's going to begin." Riza merely nodded in reply as she read through the notes she had in her hands. She and Roy were going to alternate. He'd introduce Mr. Richardson while she'd call on Principal Havelock to formally open the sign up day.

"Are you two ready?" Ms. Ramirez was on the stage and was followed by Maes and the others. Administrators were starting to fill the seats on the stage. Maes and the other council members took their seats on the stage as well.

"Yeah we are." Roy told her. Riza didn't feel very nervous. She was in fact, rather used to the job.

"Are you okay Riza? Ready to start your first hosting job at Fountain Hill?" Ms. Ramirez asked turning to Riza.

"Yes I'm okay, miss." Riza answered with a smile.

"That's good. Now while waiting for the rest of the students, why don't I introduce you to some of the administrators? Mind if I borrow her, Roy?" Ms. Ramirez told the two.

"I have no objections to that." Roy said.

"And neither do I." Riza said as she stood up before following Ms. Ramirez to some of the administrators.

**--**

"I know you've met Mr. Thompson. This is Ms. Devereaux, the Elective and Computer coordinator." Riza shook hands with a very pretty brown haired woman.

"…and beside Ms. Devereaux is Mrs. Carter. She's the Science coordinator of the school…" For the next ten minutes, Ms. Ramirez was dragging her all over the stage and once in a while she'd shake hands with a teacher she just met. A few minutes later a man went up the stage and behind him was Ms. Hale. He went straight to Ms. Ramirez and asked her if everything was ready.

"Yeah it is. We were just waiting for you. By the way… Riza, this is Mr. Richardson. John, this is Riza and she'll be hosting along side Roy since our emcees are absent today." Ms. Ramirez told Mr. Richardson. Mr. Richardson just nodded and Riza did the same. As for Ms. Ramirez her usual smirk was back on her face.

"Well let's get started shall we?" Ms. Hale said.

"It's show time, Riza. Good luck." Ms. Ramirez said as the two walked to Roy, who immediately stood up and listened to some last minute instructions. Ms. Hale and Mr. Richardson took their seats, and a few minutes later, Principal Havelock joined the rest of the administrators. Some of the faculty members were seated on the bleachers, watching the students while the non-advisers were seated beside the administrators on the stage.

"So, make sure you remember your cues and the flow of the presentation. Good luck." Ms. Ramirez said with a wink before heading to her seat beside Maes.

"I guess we should get this thing started. To help you, I'll start it. Just follow." Roy said as he stood up. Riza followed suit. Roy handed her a cordless microphone and he got another one for him. He tapped it twice to make sure it was working right and then with one last look at the student council members, he took a deep breath and started the show.

"Good After noon Fountain Hill Students!" Loud cheers filled the gymnasium and Riza couldn't help but smile. She then took a deep breath before she spoke.

"Good Afternoon also to the faculty and administrators!" Riza said, earning her smiles and nods, especially from Ms. Ramirez and the student council members who were listening.

"Well everyone, it's this time of year again. The Talent Development Program Sign up Day. But before we get started with the actual sign up day, I'd like to introduce my lovely co-host, Riza Hawkeye!" Claps and cheers filled the gym, the loudest coming from Hughes.

"And this is my dashing co-host and your student body vice-president, Roy Mustang!" Riza said cheerfully, earning more claps and cheers. "Now that we've introduced ourselves, maybe we can get on with the program. It seems everyone's excited to sign up for their respective programs."

"Agreed. But before we formally open this sign up day, I would like to call on Mr. John Richardson, the Talent Development Program head to give us a background on the TD Programs and some reminders." Roy said, calling on Mr. Richardson who promptly stood up. Riza and Roy went back to their seats as Mr. Richardson took the microphone from Roy.

"Thank you to Mr. Mustang and Ms. Hawkeye for the introduction. Now before I give out reminders for today's sign up day, I would like to give a brief background of the Talent Development Program…"

**--**

"Thank you so much, Mr. Richardson for somewhat enlightening us all on how this sign up day will commence. Now to formally open this sign up day, I would like to call on Mr. Peter Havelock, Principal of Fountain High School to open this sign up day." Riza said through the microphone as Principal Havelock stood up to open the sign up day. The students and faculty politely applauded him and Riza handed him her microphone before she and Roy took a step back.

"Welcome to the teachers, professionals and alumni. Welcome also to the students of Fountain Hill. Now I won't keep you guys any longer. I know how excited you are for this sign up day. I now formally open this year's sign up day and this year's talent development program." Principal Havelock announced through the microphone, earning loud cheers and applause. Smiling, he went back to his seat as Roy and Riza stood up to finish the first half of the hosting job.

"Now, let's get started with this sign up day. We will start with the freshmen. All freshmen form one, straight line and proceed to the parquet area. Once you're in the parquet area, please proceed to your desired program's booth and line up before you sign up. Please make sure that the program you will sign up will be your final choice. You will no longer be allowed to change programs once you have finished signing up. If you do not follow these rules, student council members patrolling the area will be forced to pull you out and you will have to wait until all students are finished before you can sign up." Roy started, repeating the reminders given by Mr. Richardson.

"Once all freshmen are done, all sophomores follow the same procedure to be followed by the rest of the levels. Once you are done signing up at your desired program, please quietly go back to your seats. Temporary class beadles, please make sure that all your classmates are accounted for. Once everyone has finished signing up, student council members will tally the number of students who signed up to make sure everyone has signed up. I guess that's all the reminders needed, right Roy?" Riza finished Roy's statement, with a rather sweet smile.

"Yes, we're all ready to go. We will now begin with the sign up day." Noisy chatter filled the gym as the freshmen stood up before lining up. Roy and Riza sat down again, as Maes and the rest of the council members stood up to facilitate everything. As they passed by the two, Maes gave Roy a good pat on the back and a smile to Riza. Roy was about to stand up to join them but Ms. Ramirez approached the two.

"You can sit this one out Roy. Maybe you can help with the tallying, but we can handle this for now. Thanks for hosting." She said shortly, with a small smile before following Maes and the rest of he council members.

"Great, she wants me to just sit this one out." Roy said, sighing.

"Is there a problem with sitting this one out?" Riza asked him as she watched the happenings in the gym.

"There's nothing wrong with it, really… but I enjoy the 'field job'." Roy answered her question.

"Oh just take her word for it, and sit this out. You've been so stressed these past days. And if you're asking, I noticed that." Roy had no reply to that.

Meanwhile, Christella and her close friend, Vanessa were busy manning the booth and were looking very happy that a lot of people were signing up for the Modern Dance program.

"Hey Chris…" Vanessa whispered to her friend as they paid attention to the sign up.

"What?"

"I saw Hawkeye and Mustang talking on the stage a while ago." Vanessa whispered again.

"Thank goodness I could still hear you. Ms. Gray and Mr. Charles are talking so loud. So what if they're talking? I don't care if they talked until she got sick of talking to him." Christella whispered back.

"Well, they're getting closer and closer each day. That's not really good for you, now is it, Chris? I mean, since you said that you and Roy ARE pretty close."

"We ARE close. Why are we talking about this anyway? And why now? We'll talk about this later. This isn't the right time to talk about this. Concentrate on the job." Christella ended the conversation, but she couldn't resist looking at the two. Once in a while, she'd see Riza smile when Roy told her something, and then she'd see Roy smile because of something Riza said. That just annoyed her even more.

In no time, the freshmen finished signing up and the sophomores lined up to sign up. Riza saw Ed go to his desired program's booth before he signed up.

"He's signing up for Football again." Roy said, snapping Riza out from her thoughts.

"Oh, he's singing up for football… what are the other members signing up for?" Riza asked.

"Erm, for Maes it's journalism. He likes something not too strenuous I guess… and besides, he's an editor of the school paper, the Insider. Aurelia is a member of the school choir and so she's signing up for the chorale program. Annika is more of the artsy type so she signs up for painting. Victor always signs up for Baseball. Sophia goes for Creative Writing. Basically that's it. I don't know what Stella signed up for because she's in the first year." Roy told her.

"I have another question. How do you pick the first year batch representative?" Riza asked, still waiting for the sophomores to finish.

"Oh… never expected a question like that to come out so early… but it's no surprise you asked me that. You see we have a sister school. A Grade school, not so far from here, and the name's a no brainer of course. Fountain Hill Grade School. Honestly, not a good choice for a grade school name. Anyway, before the school year ends, the seventh graders come here and of course, there are people who want to run for the council. So they do and day before the elections, they come here to listen to the platform and speeches of the parties. Pretty confusing, if you ask me." Roy answered, looking a bit bored now.

"Oh I see… it's hard isn't it?"

"What's hard?"

"The campaign and elections. It requires a lot of time and effort."

"'Course. But it's worth it. I think that's the last of the sophomores. Come on, let's join the council members so you can sign up first. Karate is one of the favorite programs in this school." Roy told her as he stood up. She followed him, down the stairs on the side of the stage and joined the council members on the sideline. When they got the go signal from Ed (who was watching his batch mates and making sure there were no hitches) Roy accompanied Riza to the Karate booth as their batch mates lined up before going down.

"Hey, sorry it took me a while." It was Sunny.

"Hi Sunny… do you mind if Roy came with me?"

"Oh wait, I'll go sign up. Sunny can accompany you right? I'll meet you on the sidelines." Roy said with a wink before heading of to the Chess booth not so far away. Riza could see (as she lined up) Roy exchanging stories and high-fives with his team mates and coach.

"Next." Came the curt voice. Sunny, who was standing beside Riza outside the lines, greeted the speaker who had shoulder length black hair tied neatly in a ponytail. She looked a lot like Sunny, but she was just an older version of Sunny.

"Hi Corinne… this is my classmate, Riza." Sunny told her older sister.

"Oh… yeah I remember. Corinne Montgomery, pleased to meet you. I'm happy to have learned from Sunny that you were going to sign up for Karate. Well, go on. You'll be in for a good year." She told Riza with a gentle smile as she handed Riza a pen and showed her where to sign her name. In no time Riza was done and she said her goodbyes to Corinne and Sunny before heading off to the sidelines to meet Roy.

"All done?" Roy asked her

"Yup. All done."

"Okay then, let's head back to the stage. Ms. Ramirez already had to pull out some students for misbehaving." Roy told her with a serious look. Riza merely nodded and followed him back to the stage.

--

Christella couldn't contain herself from eyeing the two from the moment they got off the stage to the moment they got back to the stage.

'Now they're sitting there and talking again. What are they talking about?' she thought with a frustrated look on her face.

"Sign here." Christella said with an absent-minded, bored look as she instructed the last of the juniors. Once in a while she'd still look at the two who were talking to pass the time.

"Chris… are you alright? You have that annoyed look on your face." Vanessa's voice made her face her friend, who was playing with her pen.

"Nothing… it's nothing really."

"What do you mean nothing? You've been glancing at those two for like ten minutes now." Vanessa said as she eyed the two before greeting the first seniors who were signing up. Christella got busy two as she put a big smile on her face before instructing the people signing up.

--

"Now as the student council members and representatives from each program tally the number of people who signed up, it's my honor to call on the Fountain Hill High School Dance Squad!" Riza announced through the microphone. There was an intermission number while the numbers were being double checked. The parquet area was cleared and Roy had left to join the rest of the council backstage, where they were supposed to tally. The cheering ensued again as the dance squad moved into their positions at the parquet area. With one signal from the dance leader, the music started and once again, the whole student population was wowed once more.

--

"Alright, we've finished tallying and I would like to thank everyone for their participation, and have a great year. Now before we are dismissed, we have a few reminders." Roy said before handing the microphone to Ms. Ramirez.

"To all student council members, please proceed to the student council office after the sign up day. To all organizers and teachers of the different programs, please proceed to the conference room after this. Thank you."

When that was done, she handed the microphone to Roy, who in turn called on the principal once more to dismiss the students. Lively chatter filled the room as the students exited the gym.

"You'll be going to the office right? I mean, your bag's there." Roy asked Riza as they went down the stage.

"Yeah. After that I'll probably walk home with Sunny or Charm… that is if I catch them." Riza answered, fixing her school jacket. Before Roy could ask anything else, Annika approached them and whispered something to Roy, which he acknowledged with a nod. After, she left.

"What was that about?" Riza asked him as they went back to the building.

"Ms. Ramirez wants you to have a snack with us at the office." Roy said simply.

"Oh I couldn't…" Riza shook her head.

"Oh come on. You deserved it. Just have a snack with us. We're not going to eat you anyway." Roy joked.

"Oh come on, I'm being serious here, Roy." Riza reprimanded, giving him a glare.

"When aren't you serious anyway? You're always serious. Come on, just take some time off and just have a snack. You're cousin's not going to mind if you stay in school for a while." Roy reasoned. Riza knew he was right. Beatrice wouldn't mind if she went home late as long as she stayed in school. And besides, there was a teacher supervising them.

"Oh fine, I'll stay for a while. As long as you're sure I'm not intruding in a meeting or anything."

"I'm sure you aren't. Great, come in… today, you're a special member of the council." Roy said with a big smile as he opened the door for her.

--

**I know it's very long. Very sorry about that. If you're asking why only until 7****th**** grade (see the part where Roy's explaining to Riza how the batch rep is chosen), well I am basing it on my education… and here, our elementary is only until 7****th**** grade (although, my school opens in June not September as set in this fic.). If you have questions on why I chose those weird programs for them, please drop me a line. ******

**If there are any questions, drop me a line. I appreciate them as much as I appreciate reviews. Go on click that review button, and I'll be back with the next chapter as soon as I can update. ******


	10. Surprise, Surprise

First off, thank you, thank you so much to those who reviewed

**First off, thank you, thank you so much to those who reviewed. At least I know where to improve or whatever. So just a gist of this chapter, it starts on Monday (the freshman day) and then moves on to Thursday… which is a surprise. One note though, this is the third week of classes. **

**One more note, FMA characters are not mine. I just wish they were. **

**--**

**CHAPTER 10: Surprise, Surprise**

"Everyone!! Listen up… today's Freshman day and you know the drill. I sent you guys a note during the weekend. Now to remind you, here's what's going to happen. The freshmen are supposed to feel welcome on their first year of high school. We'll all assemble and go to the gym. The freshmen don't know anything about this. So I hope none of the freshmen no about this… So of course, shortened periods again. Riza's gonna write the schedule on the board. I brought the green and white flags that each one should have. Christella will distribute them. Please make sure that each one has one green or one white flag. We also need two people to help out with the HUGE banner some of our batch mates made. Any takers?" Sunny was addressing the class, telling them what was going to happen during the freshmen day. Riza started writing down the schedule, which gave the classes 45 minutes each. Christella, although she had a scowl on her face, followed Sunny's orders and started handing out the flags.

"Alright, Ted and Jake, you can help out with the banners. Go to III-D so Amanda can instruct you on what to do with the banner." Sunny continued after picking out the volunteers. The two boys, Ted and Jake, a tall, brown haired boy, stood up and left. Outside they could already hear the lively and rushed chatter of the students and some occasional 'shhhs and quiets'.

"Now, all of you line up so we can proceed to the gym. Some of the council officers are upstairs, 'holding off' the freshmen. Hurry up, we have to move quick because we all have to be on schedule. No running in the hallways and just form 1 straight line." Sunny gave the last instructions before hopping off the chair she was standing on. She gave Riza a thumbs-up sign before the two joined the rest of the class. As they were leaving the floor, they heard some shouts coming from the fourth floor. It seemed that the freshmen noticed something.

--

"Students, please keep quiet now. The freshmen are already proceeding to the gym. You guys don't want to ruin the surprise now do you?" Maes was speaking through the microphone in the gym, and once in a while he'd listen to something Ms. Ramirez would whisper to him. Eventually the noise died down and just in time: they already heard the lively chatter coming from the freshmen, who were about to enter the gym. The doors leading to the gym itself were closed and long, black cloth covered them. The same cloth also covered the rest of the entrances and the huge windows near the top of the bleachers. Hughes hopped off the stage and listened to some last minute instructions from Ms. Ramirez. The parquet area was cleared: that was where the freshmen were going to stay for the duration of the program. The faculty and administrators were seated either on the sides (on chairs) or on the bleachers.

"I wish this gets over and done with already." Sunny groaned. "We're not going to be able to contain all this excitement anymore." Riza just smiled at her friend. They were seated beside each other near the exit stairs. Once in a while Sunny would look up the bleachers to check if the class was behaving. They did not need another lecture… especially not from Ms. Ramirez.

"I didn't know they communicated using walkie talkies." Riza told Sunny, who was very bored now, as she eyed Hughes who was conversing with, as Riza presumed, a member of the council. She noticed him say something, then look to a portion of the gym. Following his line of sight, she saw one of the council members (she couldn't make out if that was Annika or Aurelia near where the seniors were on the opposite side of the gym, near the stage) give a clear thumbs up sign. Then Hughes said something and just listened to the reply.

'Most likely some of the members outside with the freshmen.' Riza thought, waiting for the program to start. She watched Hughes listen to the walkie talkie before he went over to Ms. Ramirez which probably meant, all systems go. Ms. Ramirez handed Hughes a cordless microphone, which he accepted with a big smile. Noticing that it was getting a bit noisy again, Hughes went back on stage and waved his hands as if to indicate silence. Good thing everyone understood, just in time.

Two people, most likely seniors, were by the door, and with one big pull, the doors opened and very lively music started followed by cheers from the members of the student body and the faculty. Some members of the cheer team preceded the freshmen, dancing and jumping to the music. Riza could see Roy from where she was. He was one of the people who were controlling the freshmen alongside Stella, Ed and Victor.

"Wait for the signal before you wave the flags." Sunny said as she hopped of the bleacher and joined some other juniors, most likely the class reps, in front of the lowest step on the bleacher. The sophomores waved their green and white flags first, followed by a loud whistle from their side, after which a banner which read: TO OUR, was raised. The freshmen, excited and happy were cheering as they went to the middle of the parquet area. As they went, some students also set off big party poppers which showered colorful paper and confetti on them.

The class reps of the juniors all raised their green and white flags, meaning that the rest of the juniors should follow (which they did) and with another blast of the whistle, the banner, which was on the very top level of the bleacher, which read: DEAR FRESHMEN, was raised by 8 people.

Another signal was given and the seniors raised their green and white boards. The freshmen were in the middle of the parquet area now and they were asked to stop. A loud whistle was sounded, which was followed by a lively drum beat (which was provided by a senior at the parquet area). Following instructions from their class reps, the seniors alternated the colors of their boards, flipping it from green to white and vice versa. When a final signal was given, Riza could make out the first part of a huge message. Some students raised green boards forming a W against the white background of other students' boards. It was followed by an E, a huge green heart, and a white U.

Music started playing again followed by a resounding: WELCOME FRESHMEN! The freshmen all had happy smiles on their faces, and the excitement grew by the second.

"On behalf of the whole student body and the faculty and administration, I would like to welcome you freshmen on your first year here at Fountain Hill! And for an hour, your older brothers and sisters will entertain you, because today IS YOUR day. Today is Freshman Day!" Maes shouted through the microphone earning cheers and applause as he left the stage, before the first dancers took the stage.

--

"Alright, I'm in. Classes are going to begin already. But before that, we will have our lovely 15 minute homeroom period again. And I'm sure you'll love the news I'm going to give you." Ms. Ramirez said as she entered the room carrying a small bag. Everyone settled down, eager to hear her news.

"Before I tell you what the surprises are, I'd like to thank everyone for their efforts today. We had a great freshman day. Thank you so much to the class officers for taking over in my absence. Alright… first, I'm going to give your school IDs today. But before if you forgot the rules regarding the ID, let me refresh you. ONE, always wear the ID at all times. I don't want to see it in your pocket, in your bag or in you wallet… or anywhere for that matter. I want it around your neck. TWO: No tampering with the ID. No stickers or anything on it. If you put anything there, I will force you to remove it and you will get a warning slip. THREE: if you lose your ID, let me know. You will have to present an affidavit of loss and pay 300 bucks at the school cashier. FOUR: if you misbehave, any class officer or council officer may get your ID and give it to me. Let me remind you that you will get the corresponding punishment. FIVE: You will use your IDs when you borrow things from the Gym, library or Media Center. You will also use it when you pay for your food. Any questions? I only expect questions from Ms. Hawkeye as she is new." Ms. Ramirez said, arms crossed. No one had any questions, not even Riza.

"Good… now I'm going to give you your ID. Your ID is dark blue in color, with the school seal. It has to be in this gray ID holder. No tampering with the ID holder either. Your ID contains your name, ID number and room number. I'll start. I'm just going to draw a random ID from my lovely bag." Ms. Ramirez said with a grin as she pulled out the first ID.

"Lewis, Vanessa Clarissa." Vanessa stood up and got her ID from Ms. Ramirez before going back to her seat. "Very nice picture, Ms. Lewis." Ms. Ramirez said with a grin as Vanessa headed back to her seat with a big smile.

"Daniels, Rose Carmela. Simon, Ruben. Green Peter James." She called out the next few names.

"Filmore, Flood, Curtis, Hawkeye, Mustang, Adams, Adler." Riza and Roy both stood up and went over to Ms. Ramirez and got their IDs. Once she got it, Riza wore it around her neck. She glanced at the thin, blue card. It read _HAWKEYE, Riza Christianna III-A ID no. 07-0056._

"Can I see your ID?" Riza whispered to Roy when they got back to their seats, as Ms. Ramirez called out the next few names. Roy turned to face her.

"I'll show it to you if we swap."

"Deal." Riza slid the ID from the holder and handed it to Roy who did the same. She glanced at his ID which had a very nice picture of him (even if he looked so formal). It read: _MUSTANG, Roy III-A ID no. 95-0231._

"You started schooling 1995?" Riza asked him.

"Not really. I started schooling 1994, but I entered the schools held by Fountain Hill in 1995. Nursery."

"I see…"

"You, when did you start schooling?" He asked her as he handed back her ID.

"I was home schooled by my mother until 1996 when I entered my previous school's pre school." Riza simply said as she slid the ID back in its place. Roy just nodded in reply.

--

"That's not the end of the surprise." Ms. Ramirez was once again addressing the class after she had given out 38 IDs (Julia Sung and Nicole Taylor were absent). "The election of class officers, which I know is highly anticipated by a lot of you…" She was looking at Christella's direction. "…Will be this Thursday during homeroom. The administration has given the go signal already. I expect everyone to be in their proper behavior or else I will handpick the officers. And as always, I AM serious about handpicking the officers." Ms. Ramirez said sternly. Everyone either nodded or said yes in reply.

"That's all… enjoy your first class. I'll be back for our Lovely history session later." She said with a wink as she left.

--

"Alright times, up. Exchange your papers and we'll check your quiz." They had just finished a lesson on simple proving and Ms. Stanley gave them a 15 point quiz.

"All answers will be on the board. Note that the method I used may not be the same method you used to prove the statements. So if you have questions, ask me and I'll check your papers." Ms. Stanley told the class before writing down the answers on the board. Riza took out her red pen and glanced at Roy's paper. His handwriting was very neat, very legible. Like Riza, he wrote down all the given statements and the required statements before neatly writing all the proofs and statements in two columns. There were just 3 items, each five points.

"Roy, would you mind if I compared my answers to yours?" Riza asked him.

"No problem. I was wondering the same thing actually… I'm not too sure about my answers." Roy said with a sheepish grin before showing Riza her paper, and she showed his paper.

They had different proofs for the first two numbers but ended up with the same answer. They had the same set of proofs for the last item.

"That's not too good… I mean we have different answers." Roy said.

"I guess you weren't listening to Ms. Stanley then." Riza joked. "She said we can have a different set of proofs but still end up with the same answer. You can have a longer set of proofs as compared to mine, but still your answer may be correct. There's no exact way of proving statements. But I'll let Ms. Stanley double check yours when she's done with the answers." Riza told him. He just merely shrugged before looking at the board for the answers. Their proofs for the last item matched to the one on the board and so both of them checked each other's paper, giving it a good five points.

"Alright, if anyone else has different answers other than the ones written on the board, come to me now." Ms. Stanley announced. Christella, who was in the first row near the door took the opportunity and quickly asked Ms. Stanley before she could leave that spot. Deciding that it would be the best time to ask her, Roy and Riza stood up at the same time.

"Oh well, ladies first then." Roy said, gesturing, a smirk on his face. Riza just raised an eyebrow and gave him a small smile.

"If you insist then, _Sir_." Riza played along before going to Ms. Stanley followed closely by Roy. While waiting for their teacher to check the answers, Roy talked to Riza.

"I was kidding, but ladies do go first right?" He whispered to her, still clutching her paper.

"I know you were kidding. I was kidding as well." She whispered back turning to him. "Hey, ease up your grip on my paper. You're crumpling it." Riza told him. Indeed the paper was getting crumpled.

"Whoops, sorry…" Roy said, easing up a bit.

"Alright, what can I do for you two?" Ms. Stanley turned to Roy and Riza.

"You go first, Riza." Roy told her. Riza nodded before showing Ms. Stanley Roy's answers while explaining his answers to the teacher.

"Hold on a minute, why are you explaining his answers?" Ms. Stanley asked.

"Oh yeah… well maybe because I understand his set of proofs?" She reasoned.

"I'll take that. Well, Roy's proofs are correct anyway in both numbers. So go ahead give him a perfect score Ms. Hawkeye." Riza nodded.

"Wait don't go yet… I'm going to show her your answers." Roy said, grabbing hold of Riza's arm as she was about to go back to her seat.

"Oh you can explain it right?" She asked him with a smile. He just gave her a look that said please stay or I might make a mistake. "Oh fine… I'll explain if you don't understand it." Riza finished before staying beside him. Roy showed her answers to Ms. Stanley, who double checked it. Once in a while she'd ask a question and Riza would answer it.

"Well, this is good. Give her a perfect score too, Mr. Mustang. You know… you two are really good at proving. I never imagined getting really good answers like yours. Keep it up you two." Ms. Stanley complimented them before they headed back to their seats. All the while, Christella had been eyeing the two, a very frustrated look on her face.

--

Time went by fast and before they knew it, they were just having their last class, PE. They had a fun morning. Ms. Hale gave them a quick grammar lesson then a short quiz, then a lesson on personality development. She showed them pictures of different people and the class had to pick which one fit a specific category (which was flashed on the screen). Then she gave them hand outs. It was a copy of an essay which talked about people's views on an ideal person. It was interesting, and it was in a way factual.

Ms. Ramirez on the other hand finished discussing the Greek civilization and gave a 20 point quiz on the topic. After the quiz, she started the discussion on the Roman Civilization. And as always, before the end of her lesson, she gave a short homework to be written in the notebook.

Now, the class hasn't had a single serious PE class because of the many interruptions during the first 2 weeks of classes. Ms. Song was tall, athletic (of course, she was a PE teacher, and that is one of the qualifications to be a PE teacher), and pretty with long, chestnut brown hair tied up in a neat ponytail.

"Alright, I understand that we haven't had a single real meeting for PE this school year. I do apologize for that, but since we've lost time, let's start with our agenda today. First I'd like to discuss your uniform. I know you're all not wearing it today, because it hasn't come in yet, but I'll just tell you what it looks like. Basically, we have to separate uniforms for boys and girls. Girls have a white shirt, a bit loose because the school doesn't like having body hugging shirts. It has the school seal and you have to wear it with the dark blue jazz pants. The guys, wear their version of the white shirt and shorts which have to be below the knee, but not too long. So basically I'll discuss what we're going to do per quarter and then a brief discussion of the Sports Festival which is scheduled either October or November. Or would you rather have the sports fest discussion come first, seeing as many of you love the sports fest?" She asked, looking at the class. Most of Riza's classmates had big smiles on their faces and were whispering excitedly. In any school, the sports festival was always a favorite activity. Riza knew this well. Whenever the sports festival came around at her previous school, everyone would be excited.

"Miss, would you allow me to take a class vote?" Christella stood up. Ms, Song was startled by the request but gave in. She allowed a class vote to be taken and more than half of the class wanted the discussion of the sports fest to come first.

"Alright then. The sports festival is highly anticipated by a lot of you. And as usual, we have the same sports selection. For those allowing both boys and girls on the team: Chess, badminton, table tennis, lawn tennis, swimming and athletics. There are also sports that have separate teams for boys and girls or in some cases; it only allows one type of sex. Not to be too rude, but some sports fit females better, some fit males better. So for Females: Softball and volleyball are there and for males, you have baseball. And of course, there is the annual cheer dance competition. The males are usually there as lifters and support, but the females are usually the stars of the cheer dance competition. No offense though." Ms. Song joked around. The boys just laughed in reply.

--

They finished discussing the sports fest in an hour. They used up the second hour to discuss what they were doing during the four quarters. The first quarter itself was exciting enough: Social Dances. They were going to learn the basics of the different dances and at the end of the quarter, they were supposed to make a dance out of their own. Due to the fact though that the number of boys and girls weren't equal, some girls would do a dance that didn't require partners.

In no time, the bell rang and Ms. Song immediately dismissed them.

--

The next few days passed by pretty quickly and it was the end of Wednesday already. They were dismissed pretty late but most of them stayed late in the room. Christella had called for a meeting with the class.

"I swear, that girl is going to make a little speech to get her some votes." Sunny said as she and Riza returned their books.

"Well, there's nothing wrong with that." Riza said, as she returned her notebooks and placed them juxtaposed to her books.

"Well Riza, you've never heard Christella speak. Every time she wants to win, she's going to do it by sugar coating a words. Y\You know, her words are like some sweet cola of sorts." Sunny said sarcastically.

"You're bothered aren't you, Sunny?" Riza asked her as she locked her locker.

"Well, I'm not going to say bothered. But there's really no way I'd win even if Ms. Ramirez was given a chance to vote." Sunny replied, locking her locker.

"So, are you going to stick around?" Riza asked Sunny as she retreated back to the room.

"Of course I'm going to stick around. If I don't who's going to control the class when this gets out of hand?" Sunny said with a wink and a matching smirk. Sunny went back in and after a few moments, Riza went back in and almost collided with Roy.

"Oh… sorry about that Roy. Are you leaving?" She asked him after apologizing.

"Yeah. I have a meeting at the office." He answered.

"So you're not going to listen to Christella's speech?" Riza asked again.

"Well, honestly, I've already made up my mind on who to vote for that position. And I can tell you now, it's not going to be Chris." Roy said as he left. "See you tomorrow, Riza." He told her as he left and closed the door quietly. Riza smiled before going back to her place to get her stuff, not really intending to listen to Christella's speech. As she was about to pick up her things and leave, Sunny grabbed her arm and sharply whispered to her.

"Hey, don't leave me here. If you leave me with her as she's making her sugar coated speech, I might not contain myself." Sunny told her.

"Alright, alright I'll stay then." Riza said, stifling her giggles. She put her bag down back on her chair.

"Alright everyone. I need quiet!" Christella started with her speech. Her friends were standing around her, all smiling.

"Alright, to begin, I know I wasn't a good temporary class rep and I paid for it. So I apologize for getting the whole class in trouble. But I want to tell you that I am ready to take up the position again. I learned from my mistakes and I know, I have improved. I will listen to all your pleas and ideas…."

"God, it sounds like her speech from LAST year." Sunny whispered to Riza, who just nodded.

"For those who are undecided," Christella said, looking at Riza with a smile. "Let me assure you that I will serve this class to the best of my abilities."

"Right… that's what you said LAST year, Christella." Sunny said, as she read her book beside Riza.

"What's it to you, Montgomery?" Christella replied, her eyes narrowing.

"What's it to me? I have no idea what the class thinks, but I've had enough of your little lies. You're just sugar coating all your statements, making yourself look good. You know that we know all the perks of being a class rep. I mean besides having a chance to become the batch rep, if and only if Sophia resigns. And besides that --"

"So what? I have no interest in being batch rep anymore. Do you want me to say it again? I have no hard feelings against Sophia. I much nicer towards her." Christella retorted.

"Nicer in what way? I saw how you treated Sophia at the mall a few weeks back. You think that's nice?" Sunny shouted back. The whole class was paying attention now. Riza on the other hand didn't know when to stop the two.

"That was a few weeks back! You said it yourself, Daniella. I told you, I've changed for the better. Trust me I have."

"To trust you is like lying to myself, I swear." Sunny retorted angrily.

"If you think that believing me is lying to yourself, then fine! I don't care what you think. One vote won't make that big of a difference anyway." Christella said.

"Oh really now. A single vote doesn't make that much of a difference now does it? I wonder if you remember saying that last year. Remember you lost by a small margin during the council elections." Sunny told her smugly.

"Oh digging up dirt now on me, are you, Montgomery? If you just know how much dirt I know about YOU." Christella shouted.

"Why I ought to --" Sunny wasn't able to finish her statement because another voice cut in.

"THAT'S ENOUGH." It was Riza, who stood up and was standing behind her desk and was about to pick up her bag. But she wasn't intending to leave without giving the two of them a piece of her mind. "I've had enough of your bickering. You know, honestly both of you, this is wasting everyone's time. You're both digging up dirt on each other. Christella, if you really have changed then you wouldn't be bickering with Sunny here. If you really want to win votes, then convince us that you really have changed! And Sunny, I didn't think you'd stoop down to Christella's level. I thought you had enough sense not to follow her mistakes. But I was wrong wasn't I? You know, if you're both trying to beat each other and out shout each other, then I think you're both doing it. But at what cost? I know that some of you think that I have no right to do this, I understand that. But, if no one's going to stand up to people like you, then who will?" Riza paused, and could see the whole class staring at her. Christella and Sunny were both in shock. "

That's it, I'm leaving. I'll see you guys tomorrow." Riza said quietly before leaving and shutting the door with an audible slam. The whole class was still silent as she left. And no sooner had Riza left, the other members of the class left as well.

--

It was just a mere 2 hours before the homeroom period. Throughout the entire day, the whole class was silent. No one was fighting, no one was even thinking about the elections. There was a lot of work to be done, especially since the teachers didn't think that that was the time to slack off and take things lightly. When they had an activity in English, Riza was silent the whole time, and she couldn't look at Sunny, who was her group mate. She wanted to talk to her, but was a bit afraid of Sunny's reaction. Roy noticed her change of mood and tried to talk to her during recess time but Riza simply shrugged it off saying that it was nothing.

During lunch time, Riza went down to the canteen alone, leaving right after Ms. Ross left She bought her food and sat down at her usual table. After a while, Bianca came and greeted her hello. Riza just simply replied with a sad hello before finishing up her food. She stood up and got her trash and was about to leave when Bianca stopped her.

"Hey are you okay Riza?" She asked, concerned.

"Yeah… I'm fine don't worry. It's funny though. You're not the first person who asked me that." Riza said with a small smile before leaving. "Oh and if you'll need me, I'll be at the library borrowing some books. I promised myself to borrow some books there once I get my ID." Riza told her before she left.

Right after she left, Sunny and Charm reached the table.

"Hey, you just missed Riza. What's up? You look moody today, Sunny." Bianca asked her friend.

"Nah I'm fine… Riza knocked some sense into me yesterday afternoon right after I got into another heated argument with Christella. Where is she?" Sunny asked.

"At the library. She said something about borrowing a book." Sunny stood up without even touching her food.

"Where are you going Sunny?" Charm asked. "You barely touched your food."

"It's just French fries. Go eat it for me, will you Bianca? I'll take my drink. There's something I need to do." Sunny said shortly before she left with her drink.

--

Sunny went up to the second floor as quick as she could while finishing her drink. When she got to the entrance of the bridge leading to the library, she discarded the empty cup and went inside the cold, air conditioned room. She didn't see Riza among the students who were checking out books or those seated at the tables. So she went straight to the stock area and straight to the shelves that had Riza's favorite books. And she was right, Riza was there, taking out some books.

"Riza… can… can we talk?" Sunny asked her friend who wasn't looking at her. Riza sighed, and took down her third book before turning to face Sunny. To Sunny's surprise, Riza's usually-serious face broke into a rare smile.

"Sure, I'll just check these books out… save an empty table for us will you?" Riza said before proceeding to the check out counter.

--

"What did you want to talk about, Sunny?" Riza asked quietly. Deep down, she knew what Sunny wanted to talk about.

"I'd… I'd like to apologize."

"For what?" Riza asked, puzzled. She thought she was the one who had to apologize.

"For the way I acted yesterday. I know it wasn't like me to act like that." Sunny said, her voice close to a whisper.

"I have to apologize, Sunny… I didn't expect you to apologize. I mean, I know I don't have a right to tell you off because I'm a new student and all."

"You have a right to tell me off because you're my friend. And that's what a friend's supposed to do right?" Sunny told her with a smile. Riza just smiled at her friend's wise answer. "I know I acted like a huge jerk yesterday. I thought that I can stop Christella without being a Christella myself. But I was wrong. But at least you had enough guts to stand up to both of us. It's not everyday that new students stood up to the old and popular students."

"I thought you'd get mad at me… I mean Christella got mad at me last week for something she did and I'm sure she's mad at me now."

"Well that's Christella… I'd like to tell you now… don't nominate me. Whatever you do, don't nominate me." Sunny said as she stood up. "Friends?"

"We are friends… why don't you want me to nominate you?" Riza said as she stood up and pushed back her chair.

"You'll know later." Sunny said as she and Riza left.

--

"Well, I've heard good feedback from all your teachers. It seems there hasn't been any trouble so far. So I'm not going to handpick officers… darn it I was looking forward to that." Ms. Ramirez was in the classroom for the elections and was in a very good mood.

"You're not serious are you, Ms. Ramirez?" Ted asked, nervous.

"Of course not… not unless, you DO want me to handpick the officers, eh Mr. Briony?" Ms. Ramirez replied, eyebrow's raised, a serious tone to her voice. Ted immediately shook his head no and the rest of the class just laughed.

"Okay then, I'll start with the elections now. After the elections, which I hope will be over quick, I will discuss all the duties of the different officers. Clear?"

"Yes, miss." Everyone replied in chorus, excited to start the elections and anxious to find out the results.

"Before I begin with all my reminders, I would like to thank all the temporary officers led by Daniella. Thanks for all your help. That's it. Since I don't want to waste your lovely papers and kill trees, we will have a raise of hands to determine the number of votes. I need only ONE HAND. If I see two, even if it is a joke, I will give you a warning slip. I want this to go smoothly and without any problems. Just like the nominations for temporary officers, someone has to nominate you (if you do intend to run), and someone has to second that nomination. Anyone can do that and anyone can close the nominations afterwards. When the nominations are closed, I want the nominees to step out. As many of you know, Mr. Mustang cannot be nominated or elected for any position because he is a council officer. Let's start then." Ms. Ramirez said with a smile. "I open nominations for Class Representative."

Vanessa's hand quickly shot up, followed by Cornelia's. Ms. Ramirez, although she knew who the nomination was for, called on Cornelia who nominated Christella without any hesitation. Vanessa was then called to second and Christella was asked to leave the room. She did, with a big, happy smile on her face.

"Any nominations? I will not move on to the next position if no one runs against Ms. Curtis." Ms. Ramirez called out. Riza shot a look at Charm and then to Sunny who nodded no. To Riza's surprise, Sunny raised her own hand, and Ms. Ramirez acknowledged it.

"I'm not nominating myself, Ms. R… I'm nominating… Riza Hawkeye." All heads turned to Riza who was definitely surprised at the nomination. She looked at Roy who just gave her an encouraging smile before raising his own hand.

"Yes, Mr. Mustang?" Ms. Ramirez said, playing with the chalk.

"I second the nomination." He said shortly before sitting down. With a small smile, Ms. Ramirez asked Riza to leave the room and wrote the candidates' names on the board in her not-so legible handwriting.

Riza stood up, and slowly made her way out. She was a bit nervous and there was mixed feelings inside of her. She wasn't afraid of Christella. After what she told her yesterday, she shouldn't be afraid, but she was afraid of the outcome.

--

"What are you doing out here, Hawkeye?" Christella's voice rang out in the empty hallway as Riza shut the door.

"Well, I'll put it simply. I was nominated. Is there any reason that I would be out here?" Riza shot back, a small smile on her face.

"You think you can lecture me, Hawkeye, but you're wrong. You have no right to do that." Christella retorted. Riza paused to think of what she would say.

"You know what, Christella… that's the very same attitude that made Ms. Ramirez remove you from your position. So I suggest you do show that you have changed, because if you don't I don't know how long people will believe you." Riza said quietly as the door swung open, meaning that the votes have been counted. Christella, jumped off the locker she was sitting on and went back to the room and Riza followed her and closed the door. What Riza saw on the board surprised not only her, but Christella herself. Before the elections, Ms. Ramirez had written down the different positions (like during the elections on the first day). Beside the position of class representative, Ms. Ramirez had written down Riza's name.

"I…" Riza was a loss for words. Christella gave her an angry glare (which Riza ignored and Ms. Ramirez didn't see) before stomping off back to her seat, by the door.

"Congratulations, Riza… you're the new rep. Listen, it's not everyday that a new student becomes the class rep, but I'm not saying it's impossible. Congratulations. It was a landslide. So you start your job now, take over the elections and I'll relax there at the teacher's table." Ms. Ramirez tossed Riza the chalk and Riza caught it (surprisingly without flinching). "Go on, good luck, Ms. Hawkeye." Riza smiled and nodded.

"…First, I would like to thank those who voted for me, but I'll save the rest for later. Thank you Ms. Ramirez and now… as your class representative, I would like to open the nominations for Discipline chairman."

--

**Rawr, it's very long again. To tell you guys the truth, I had a lot of trouble writing this chapter because of the many mistakes I had with the names and I was bored and I think I got a lotof stuff wrong... (one of the reasons why I miss school 'coz I get my inspiration from stuff at school XD) But I've corrected the names already. If you see any more mistakes, please tell me. If there are questions, please tell me. If you think this isn't great at all, drop me a line. And of course, don't forget to review! 3 I love getting reviews from you guys! Even if it isn't a good review, just review. Thanks a lot and please review (even if I think, this sucks a lot)**


	11. All I Ask Of You

Hey everybody, I'm back

**Hey everybody, I'm back! Thank you so much to those who reviewed. I appreciated them so thanks to all you guys! So anyway, since a lot of you want more of the Royai love there, there will be some in this chapter, and I hope you enjoy that.**

**FMA and all the characters associated with that anime/manga are not mine (as always… sigh) Also, all musicals and songs mentioned in this fic are not mine. They are just so lovely and all… XP Anyway, on to the fic. **

**--**

**Chapter 11: All I Ask of You**

"So, now that you've all gotten the hang of proving easy statements, we'll be proving harder statements. I was looking through your scores, and they're pretty good for most of you. So next week, we'll start proving the different theorems." It was Friday afternoon and almost dismissal time. They were near the end of another Geometry class and had another quiz. The past week, they had nothing but quizzes and homework, not to mention a lot of activities.

"So, you've got the weekend, so homework! Answer page 50 on your notebook, present all proofs using the indirect way of proving and the proper way of proving. I will collect that on Monday. If there are any questions, ask them now." Before anyone could ask Ms. Stanley anything, someone knocked on the door, shattering the silence in the room. The door opened, creaking slightly, and up popped Mr. Davies' head.

"Oh Mr. Davies, it's you again…" Ms. Stanley said, putting back the chalk on the chalk ledge and dusting her hands.

"Sorry to interrupt… I thought the class was dismissed." Mr. Davies explained. Before anyone could say anything else, the bell rang.

"Well, I was about to dismiss them since the bell already rang. What or who do you need, Mr. Davies?" Ms. Stanley said, getting her things.

"I'd like to speak with Ms. Hawkeye." Riza was surprised. She was no longer the academic chairman. Sunny had won the position during the elections since Christella refused to have a position lower than the Discipline chairman as she lost the class representative position.

"Go on, Ms. Hawkeye. I'll be dismissing the class anyway." Riza nodded and stood up before hurrying out the door.

--

"What is it you wanted to tell me, Mr. Davies? I'm no longer the academic chair." Riza told him. She could hear Ms. Stanley's loud voice giving out reminders to the class.

"Oh… I'm sorry. But since you're here, I might as well tell you now. The first group will perform next week. I'll give you the next few meetings to practice and the second meeting of next week, Thursday, I believe… the first group will perform. After that, we'll follow the order. That's all… tell them I'll wait out here in case anyone has questions." Mr. Davies told her. Riza nodded before going back to the room to announce it. As soon as Riza went back to the room, the front door opened and Christella came out. She silently closed the door as Riza started announcing the reminders.

"Mr. Davies?" She called out as she approached him.

"Oh, Ms. Curtis. Do you have questions?"

"It's more of a request actually… you see, I switched groups with Hannah Baker and so I'm with Roy Mustang's group."

"Alright… I think I remember Riza telling me that."

"But that's not my request… I have 2 actually." Christella said flashing her sweetest smile.

"Oh alright… go ahead."

"My group mates and I are not really having an easy time with Les Miserables… some of us aren't familiar with that musical or its story. So… we wanted to switch to the Phantom of the Opera."

"The Phantom of the Opera? Are you sure? I only allow groups to switch only once and once only… once you say you're going to switch, that's it. If I remember, the last time somebody picked that was a few years ago. Around 3 years ago."

"Yes, we're very sure about that." Christella replied.

"Alright then, I'll allow that. What's the second request?" Mr. Davies asked. Christella heard Riza finishing the last of the reminders and hurried up with her last request.

"I'd like to switch to the first slot. Vanessa Lewis has to compete in a tennis tournament during that week of their performance. And I don't think their group would like that."

"Really? I'd like to speak with Ms. Lewis." Mr. Davies said. At that very moment, the door flew open and Vanessa was one of the first ones out.

"Nessa… come here." Christella called out. Vanessa approached the two.

"Ms. Lewis, I understand you have to participate in a competition during the week of your performance."

"That's correct sir. I was about to inform you as well." Vanessa said brandishing a letter from her bag. She handed the letter to Mr. Davies who read it. "All teachers and administrators got that letter, sir. My group mates were also informed and I told them I would switch with Christella's group."

"Alright. Since everything's in order, I'll allow that switch. So your group Christella will perform next week, and yours, Ms. Lewis will perform last."

"Thank you sir." Christella and Vanessa said together before heading back inside. Thinking it was done, Mr. Davies left and went back to the faculty room.

--

"Where have you been, Christella? We're meeting about the musicals thing." Darwin asked Christella as she joined the group.

"Oh about that… we're performing first. And we're performing Phantom of the Opera instead."

"WHAT?!" the seven other members of the group exclaimed out loud.

"Do I have to repeat myself?" Christella asked.

"You switched our performance date and our piece?" Riza asked her.

"Yeah… Vanessa isn't going to be there for their performance so I offered to switch. And as for the musical change, I think we could do better with Phantom of the Opera."

"That's not a very good reason, Chris. Why didn't you ask us first?" Roy asked her, tone serious.

"Well, that way we could prove ourselves better. And besides, there's no taking it back."

"You're joking right?" Riza asked.

"Nope. I usually never joke. Well then, I guess we have to double the practice." Christella announced, somewhat proud of herself.

"That's pretty easy for you to say, Christella." Katrina snarled earning her a glare from Christella.

"God, Chris… why the hell did you do that without thinking?" Roy asked as she sat down beside him.

"Oh I was thinking about it and I did. So just accept it alright?!" Christella snapped, getting annoyed. The rest of the group was just silent. "Oh come on… don't tell me you're all mad at me for that switch! Roy, tell me you're not mad."

"…I'm not mad, Chris. I'm _disappointed._" Roy told her. That shut Christella up pretty quickly and she had a very shocked look on her face.

"… there's nothing we can do, but accept it." Riza said through gritted teeth before anyone else could say anything. "We'll meet as planned at Roy's house tomorrow. Bring a list of songs that you want to sing may it be a solo or a duet or a group song. Just three choices per person so that we can narrow down the choices easily and not waste time. And tomorrow once we've decided on the final list of songs, learn the lyrics and the tune and whatever. After that, we'll decide the rest." Everyone just nodded in reply, even Christella, who still had that shocked look on her face.

"That's that. I'll see you tomorrow." Roy said standing up. "I have a meeting. See you tomorrow. Riza, if you like, I'll fetch you again tomorrow at 7."

"Thanks Roy." Riza replied with a smile as Roy got his bag and left.

"Well, I think that's that as well… let's adjourn and I'll see you tomorrow." Riza said as she and some of her group mates stood up to leave.

--

"Riza! Wait up, Riza!" Riza stopped and turned to see who was calling her. Charm and Sunny were running towards her.

"Hey… sorry I left early. I mean I left without telling you guys. You guys weren't done with your group meetings yet." Riza told the two. They were already in front of the school gate, ready to go home.

"What happened in your group? We heard you all shout WHAT?!" Sunny asked Riza as she adjusted her bag strap. Riza sighed as she thought back on what happened.

"Christella did something pretty stupid." Riza started.

"So what else is new? She always does something stupid." Sunny answered her tone rather sardonic.

"It's not like that Sunny… it's just that she told Mr. Davies that we were switching with Vanessa's group and so we're performing first next week… not only that, she asked him to change our musical. And now we're doing Phantom of the Opera."

"That is pretty stupid… and let me guess. She didn't tell you guys about her diabolical plans?"

"Yeah. That in itself is stressful. Now we might stay late at Roy's place practicing for that musical." Riza said as they started to walk out of the school gates.

"Hey guys, I guess I'll walk home from here. I need to go that way." Charm said pointing to the opposite direction.

"It's alright, Charm. I need to go home to, my driver's there already." Sunny said. "Do you need a lift home, Riza?"

"No thanks. I can walk home. Besides, I need to pick up some stuff at the grocery for our dinner." Riza said shaking her head.

"I'll see you guys on Monday then. Bye." Charm waved goodbye as she left. After a few minutes, Sunny waved goodbye and headed to her van. Riza walked home on her own after seeing that Sunny's van was gone. She stopped by the grocery store to get some vegetables for salad and some drinks.

--

"Beatrice, I'm home." Riza greeted as she opened the door of her house.

"In the kitchen, Riza. Did you get the vegetables?" Beatrice called out.

"Yeah, I got the vegetables and some drinks for us." Riza said as she dropped her bag in the living room and went inside the kitchen.

"How was school?" Beatrice was busy making some stew for her and Riza and didn't even look up from the stove.

"Fine… Roy's going to stop by tomorrow and we're going to go to his house for another project." Riza said as she removed the vegetables from the plastic bag.

"Another project? Ever since you started schooling at Fountain, you've had 2 projects. That's a lot compared to when you were schooling at Ash Creek."

"Well, that's not a decision I make, Beatrice. If you need me, I'll be upstairs researching for this project. Holler if it's dinner." Riza said with a small smile as she headed upstairs to her room. Her good mood left Beatrice puzzled.

"Hmmmm… ever since she found new friends here she's been in a very good mood… especially when she won the top position in her class. Or was it because of Roy? She talks about him a lot… well besides Sunny of course." Beatrice asked herself. After thinking on the cause of Riza's good mood, she just shrugged and continued stirring.

--

Riza was in her room researching and chatting with Roy and Sunny until Beatrice called her down for dinner. After dinner, she went back up, researched a bit more, printed some of her research, took a bath then went to sleep.

--

Riza got up early the next day. She dressed up and put all the stuff she needed in a brown back-pack then went down. Beatrice was up and was about to leave for her work.

"Good Morning, Riza."

"Good morning. Are you leaving already?" Riza said as she got a banana and a glass of orange juice.

"Yeah I am, but I'll wait for you to leave, considering it's almost 7 o'clock… my shift at the store doesn't start until 8:30… so I have plenty of time." Beatrice said, cleaning up. "Is that all you're going to eat?"

"For now, this is what I'll eat… I'm not on a diet, Beatrice. So don't you worry." Riza assured as she ate her banana and drank her orange juice.

"So… what's the project about?" Beatrice asked. Riza glanced at her watch. It was five to seven.

"We're performing songs from the Phantom of the Opera."

"Really? Whose part are you singing?" Beatrice asked as she sat across Riza.

"I don't know yet. We'll know later. I might not be home until later in the evening." Riza told her. She heard a car stop outside. She stood up and pushed back her chair and got her bag.

"That's Roy… I'll go now. I'll see you later, Beatrice." Riza said. As soon as she exited the kitchen, the doorbell rang and Riza opened the door and shortly after that, she shut the door.

--

"Hey… Katrina's going to be late for a while. She said that her brother's taking her to my house and her brother had to run a quick errand." Roy told her as he climbed in the car after Riza and shut the door.

"Alright… we can start without her. Anyone else who's going to be late?" Riza asked as the car sped off to Roy's home.

"Well… so far only Katrina told me that she was going to be late."

"Okay… let's just do all that we can do." Riza said with a small smile.

--

They arrived at Roy's house in a matter of ten minutes. Riza was no longer surprised at the way Roy was welcomed at the house, as it was her second time to go there. She was a bit surprised when she realized that Roy's mother was at home.

"Hello mother." Roy greeted as they entered the house. His mother was tall, slender and had the same raven colored hair that Roy had. But unlike Roy, she had green colored eyes.

"Oh Roy dear… back so soon?" She asked. She was about to go to the den when they came in.

"I just fetched my classmate at her house, mother. This is Riza Hawkeye. She's new at Fountain Hill." Riza took a step forward and extended her hand with a smile.

"Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Mustang." Roy's mother shook Riza's hand.

"Nice to meet you as well my dear. Cameron Mustang."

"Mom… did anyone call while I was gone?" Riza let go of Mrs. Mustang's hand and stepped back.

"No one called dear. Who else is coming here?"

"Well, besides Riza, there's Katrina Smith, Ruben, Darwin, Jennifer, Christina and Christella."

"Alright then. The cook's out for his day off so I'll leave you some money here, since I need to leave for work in a while. Go order a pizza and have it delivered here." Mrs. Mustang said as she started for the stairs. "I'll be in my room, getting ready for work. Isabelle, Sarah and Christopher are here. Colleen and your father left as soon as you left."

"Okay mom. Thanks. I'll bring Riza to the guest room first and we'll get some things done."

"Okay. If you want use the den as well… the piano's there. And if you want, ask Isabelle or Sarah to come down and play the violin for you guys. Heaven knows they need practice and your musical is nice with instrumentals and live music."

"Sure mom, thanks… I'll tell them that later." Roy said as he led Riza up the stairs, ahead of his mother, and straight to the guest room.

--

"I'll go get my lap top. My research is there." Roy said as he turned on the air conditioner. Riza sat down on the bed and pulled out her lap top.

"Okay, I'll turn on my lap top too… some of my research is there too." Riza said as Roy left the room.

Riza could hear Roy's retreating footsteps in the hallway and later, she heard a door open and then close. In no time, Roy was back, carrying a thin, silver lap top.

"Nice lap top." Riza commented.

"Thanks." Roy said with his usual smirk as he turned on his lap top. "So, what are your three choices for the songs?"

"Well… two of them are solos… and the other one's a duet." Riza began.

"Oh let me guess… One of your songs the solo, is Music of the Night and the duet is All I Ask of You." Roy said looking up from his lap top.

"You're really good at guessing aren't you, Roy?" Riza complimented.

"Well I am… but those two were also on my list of choices. I'm not just so sure about the third one. It must be so weird for me to pick a song like that."

"What song?" Riza asked as she crossed her legs on the bed. Good thing for her, she was wearing jeans.

"Think of Me."

"A diva's song… sung by Christine right?"

"Yeah. Speaking of songs, I got the notes for All I Ask of You."

"You mean notes for playing the piano." Riza said, opening some documents on her lap top.

"Yeah. Maybe, I can drag my siblings downstairs and let's try it out." Roy suggested.

"You play the piano?"

"Of course. I composed our jingle for the elections last year."

"I wouldn't doubt it. You're very talented. So tell me. Before we head downstairs… have you seen this musical before?" Riza asked. It took Roy a while to answer because he was busy typing something on his computer.

"Yeah I've seen it. By the way, I've learned the lyrics of All I Ask of You already…" Roy said, grinning.

"That's great. Maybe you can go ahead and play Raoul." Riza replied, smiling now.

"And you'll be _my_ Christine?" Roy asked. Riza's smile faded a bit and she struggled for words when she heard the word _my_.

"You mean, I'll be Christine?" Riza stammered.

"Yeah, why not?" Roy asked her. He didn't notice the sudden change of expression on Riza's face.

"Well, maybe Christella would like that part." Riza replied.

"I don't know about Christella singing a solo and a duet. She really doesn't like to memorize stuff."

"And as for me, I can't sing like Christine." Riza reasoned.

"Maybe we can change one or two things to help you. I'll tell the guys that. So you can be Christine and I'll be Raoul."

"And the others? What part are they going to play in this master plan of yours?" Riza asked, an eyebrow raised.

"There's a group song there. We can add that. But for now, let's go drag Isabelle from her confinement and ask her to play the violin while I'll play the piano. You will sing the duet with me." Roy said as he hopped off the bed and put on his carpet slippers.

"Oh fine then…" Riza said with a smile as she put on her sandals and followed Roy out the door.

--

"Wow Roy… you drag me from my bed just to play the violin." Isabelle grumbled as she followed the two to the den, carrying her violin case.

"Don't complain to me. Mom said to ask you to play the violin." Roy said, hands in his pockets.

"Where is mom, Roy? And why couldn't you drag Sarah or Christopher instead?" Isabelle asked as they entered the den. Riza just smiled at the two siblings.

"Because…" Roy said as he sat on the piano stool and pushed back the cover of the piano. "… Christopher plays the flute and he's younger than me, and he's still asleep. Sarah said she'll play the violin later for me. Mom already left for work. But for now, you'll do just fine. Here." Roy said as he handed Isabelle a copy of the sheets for the song.

"All I Ask of you, huh? How romantic can you get, Roy?" Isabelle commented as she read the title of the piece.

"Oh, just shush and play." Roy replied. He stretched his arms before bringing his fingers down on the keys. Taking a deep breath, he nodded to Isabelle and together they started playing a gentle and sweet melody that was the tune of All I Ask of You.

"…_No more talk of darkness. Forget these wide-eyed fears. I'm here… nothing can harm you. My words will warm and calm you..._" Roy sang Raoul's part as he was playing. Riza was amazed at Roy's singing voice. It may not be as good as the one who played Raoul, but it sounded really good. Roy's piano playing was really good too. Riza then shot a glance at Isabelle. Riza saw that Isabelle had a big grin on her face when Roy started singing and playing. But something told Riza to pay attention as Roy was getting to the end of Raoul's part. Riza took a deep breath and sang the chorus and the part of Christine.

"_Say you'll love me ev'ry waking moment. Turn my head with talk of summertime… say you need me with you now and always. Promise me all that you say is true… That's all I ask of you…_" Riza sang in a soft, melodic voice. She had to admit, she wasn't a very good singer. She had no idea where that melodious tone came from. All she saw was Roy's smiling face as he played. He took a deep breath before continuing Raoul's part.

"_Let me be your shelter. Let me be your light. You're safe, no one will find you. Your fears are far behind you._" This time Riza was ready. As soon as Roy ended, she sang the next few lyrics.

"_All I want is freedom…_" Riza began. Suddenly she felt like she was Christine and Roy was Raoul. It seemed to her that although they barely knew each other, here they were, making beautiful music together. "_…A world with no more night. And you…_" Riza's voice softened a bit. "_…always beside me. To hold me and to hide me._" Riza now had a very beautiful smile on her face. Roy's face, which usually has his signature smirks, now had a smile that would make the girls swoon.

"_Then say that you'll share with me one love, one lifetime…_" Roy sang, no longer looking at the keys he was pressing. He was now looking at Riza. And for a while, his dark blue eyes met her reddish-brown eyes.

"…_let me lead you form your solitude. Say you need me with you here beside you. Anywhere you go let me go too… Christine, that's all I ask of you._"

"_Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime… say the word and I will follow you._" Riza sang as soon as Roy finished. Roy glanced at the keys for a while and then at the piece then joined Riza.

"_Share each day with me, each night, each morning_" They sang together. They were so into their singing that they didn't notice Darwin, Katrina, Ruben, Jennifer and Christina enter the house. Hearing the lovely singing coming from the den, they his by the door and stood their listening.

"_Say you love me…_" Riza sang.

"_You know I do._" Roy replied.

"_Love me… that's all I ask of you..._" They sang together. They paused for a while as Isabelle and Roy played another round of the chorus. With a nod from Roy, Riza joined him as they both sang the last few lyrics of the song.

"_Anywhere you go let me go too! Love me…_" Their voices dropped to a whisper that it seemed that they were singing it to each other.

"…_That's all I ask… of you._" Roy finished off the last part of the instrumental and he and Isabelle ended at the same time and on the same note. Riza gave a small sigh of relief. Somehow to her, it seemed so nice to sing with Roy. She didn't feel nervous or afraid. Isabelle had a big smile on her face as she went to the two and hugged Roy and Riza.

"Oh my god, you two were great! I've never felt like this before! Oh my god… that was great!" Isabelle said, grinning from ear to ear.

"Oh come on Isabelle. My voice isn't great you know." Roy said as he stood up from the stool.

"And I don't sing at all…" Riza added as she gave back the song sheet to Roy.

"Are you joking you two?! Well that's that. You two are singing that for our project and there will be no buts and ifs." The three in the den spun around to see that Darwin and the rest who were listening by the door came in. Darwin and Ruben were even applauding them.

"Oh don't be silly guys… It's not easy singing it like this. I mean I was playing the piano." Roy said.

"Well I bet it's not going to sound as good as that if you sing with a tape. Maybe we can ask Mr. Davies if we can get some members of the class to play for us! Just that song… I mean, Darwin, you can play the piano right?" Jennifer asked, sounding all excited.

"Yeah I can… that's a great idea! You don't need to play as you sing. You can sing with Riza and we can get someone else to play. Mr. Davies didn't say anything about performing the music live. Besides if I remember correctly, Julia Sung plays the piano and the violin. Peter also plays the violin. So does Nicole, Thomas and Carina. Daniella can play both the piano and the violin. Nicholas plays the flute… and --"

"Alright, I get your point Darwin." Roy interrupted him as he was enumerating their classmates who could play instruments.

"So, are you both singing that song together?" Christina asked. Roy and Riza exchanged looks as if they could find the answer in each other's eyes.

"I'm okay with it if it's okay with all of you, even Christella and if it's okay with Riza." Roy answered. All heads then turned to Riza.

"It's fine with me…" She said finally. The whole group was very happy and were relieved that one of their problems was solved. Isabelle whispered to Roy before leaving the room, bringing her violin with her. They were having a mini celebration when Christella arrived.

"What's the hubbub here?" She asked as she entered the den. The noise died down and they avoided Christella's questioning glares.

"Why are you late, Christella?" Jennifer asked. "I believe, if I'm not mistaken… it's already ten to nine."

"Oh get off my case. Why what time did you arrive?" Christella snapped back. Jennifer had no answer to that. In a way, Christella was right.

"Well… never mind what time you guys arrived. We only need two or three more songs as we already have one." Roy said before anyone could reply to Christella's question.

"What do you mean we have one song? Who's singing it and what's the title?" Christella asked as she turned to Roy.

"It's All I ask of You. Riza and I are singing it." Roy replied. Christella didn't seem shocked, but if she was, she had a very good way of masking it.

"You two… are singing that song together." Christella stammered.

"Yes we are. And we better not waste time, we have to pick the next few songs. So let's get to work." Riza replied. Everyone else nodded and sat down on the couch in the den and on the floor.

"I'll go get my lap top. Riza, I'll get yours as well okay?" Roy said as he started to leave the den.

"Sure Roy… thanks."

--

**Ahhhh!! The end of another chapter. :D Mwahaha. Well, if you want to know, we had a project like this for our music class. We had to present a few songs from our chosen musicals. So there… ******** Watch out for the next part of the fic, coz it will be the real performance. XD So thanks again to those who reviewed. And I'll be back with the next chapter, hopefully before the new school year kicks in. XP Please and thank you for reviews and comments and questions! **


	12. Show Time

And I am back… with the much awaited chapter 12… well I hope it is much awaited

**And I am back… with the much awaited chapter 12… well I hope it is much awaited. Thank you for the reviews… I really enjoyed writing chapter 11… I know a lot of you loved it, and now I am bringing the continuation of events in chapter 11. Hope you enjoy it… like you enjoyed chapter 11. AND. I AM SO SORRY. I know this is well overdue but with the load we received, I could not find time to do this. :(( cries in the corner But I'll finish my apologies later. For now, please enjoy the twelfth chapter.**

**Note: FMA characters are not mine (sadly)… Phantom of the Opera and all related songs are not mine either. **

**--**

**Chapter 12: Show Time **

The days before the actual performance had the group of eight working after school hours. After their meeting at Roy's house during the weekend, they had to finalize everything, from the costume to the final pieces and the roles.

The group decided that Roy would be Raoul and Riza would be Christine. Darwin would play the Phantom, Jennifer would play Fermin, one of the mangers of the Opera Populare, Ruben would play Andre, the other manager, Katrina would play Madame Giry and Hannah would play her daughter, Meg. And Christella, much to her disappointment had to play Carlotta's part.

Early Wednesday morning, the whole group was there practicing their songs. Christella was late as usual, and it was certainly an issue within the group.

"Honestly, how many times a week does Christella have to be late? This is the third time this week, and she's late again. What the hell is she doing? Putting on make up?!" Katrina said, very annoyed. Riza and Roy just kept silent about it. They were affected by Christella's tardiness, but decided to just concentrate on the performance itself.

"Kat, don't worry so much about her… but then again all this was her fault. If she didn't switch with Vanessa, we wouldn't have this problem." Hannah told her friend. Vanessa was absent since Monday, due to her competition.

"If she gives me another stupid reason for being late, I am going to give her a piece of my mind." Katrina snarled, slightly crumpling her song sheet.

"Hey, Darwin… did you ask the people who are supposed to play if they could?" Riza asked as she looked up from her song sheet.

"Yeah… I got Daniella, Julia, Peter, Nicole, Thomas, Carina, Nicholas Andrea, Bella and Joseph to play us a little live music." Darwin said with a grin. "This is going to be a blast… I mean playing the phantom of the opera." Darwin said putting on the white mask he had made himself.

"Well you certainly are excited, Darwin… and you got the whole band to play for us." Roy said silently.

"Well who shouldn't be excited? Our performance will be the best!" Darwin replied, optimistic. Everybody else had their doubts.

--

"Alright class… we still have 30 minutes left. Can I ask the first performers to step outside? I would like to listen to your performance, and give you final reminders." Mr. Davies was addressing the class and they were nearly done with their Music Class. Riza's group stood up and went out the door and waited there for Mr. Davies. Outside, they could hear him giving out a lot of reminders and while he was doing that, the group was vocalizing outside.

A few minutes later, he came out and asked the group to tell him the order of presentation. It was going to be Music of the Night, Prima Donna and All I Ask of you.

"Okay… I got the order and the roles. Where is Ms. Curtis?" Mr. Davies asked them. Christella was very late. The group just looked at each other and Katrina shrugged.

"Er… Mr. Davies, Christella's very late… we don't know if she's absent or just very late." Riza explained. Mr. Davies nodded and was writing that down when someone hoarsely called out from the staircase. It was Christella. She went over to the group, looking very tired, and placed her bag on the locker. She gave her tardy slip to Mr. Davies, who signed it.

"Sorry I'm late guys… I wasn't feeling too well." She hoarsely explained.

"Right you are! You have no voice! You can't sing, can you?!" Katrina exclaimed. Christella shook her head no. The group were surprised and drew in some sharp breaths.

"When did you get sick, Chris?" Roy asked her.

"Since Tuesday morning… I went partying out with my friends and went home very late… I really am very sorry guys…" Christella said, almost to the point of tears. Riza felt sorry somehow for Christella. She had made an effort to go to school and show up even if she was sick and tired. But Katrina didn't think so.

"That's what you get for partying so late! Now what do we do?! Our presentation is tomorrow and you have parts to sing and then you lose your voice. What on earth were you thinking Christella?!" Katrina scolded, forgetting that Mr. Davies was standing there.

"I… but, I really… am sorry." Christella struggled to say.

"You always try to find a way to get yourself out of trouble, eh Christella?" Katrina replied. Riza, feeling that it was enough, put her hand gently on Katrina's shoulder and shook her head.

"That's enough Kat…" Riza said quietly. "I think losing her voice is punishment enough." Christella gave a sigh of relief, and a smile of thanks to Riza.

"You're too nice Riza."

"I know I am." Riza said with a smile. "But shouting at Christella won't resolve the problem."

"I agree… Mr. Davies, we do have alternatives right?" Roy said, in support of Riza's answer.

"Well of course you do. You can revise your presentations and give Ms. Curtis a part that will not require her to sing or strain her voice too much." Mr. Davies replied.

"Thank you sir… guys, I have a solution. But if you don't want it, then we'll think of something else. There's no use stressing over something that's done." Roy said.

"Let's hear it, Roy." Darwin said, eager to hear the new plan.

"Well, we can have a story teller tell the story or the gist of the Phantom of the Opera. Jennifer, Ruben, you can handle the lights and the other effects we will need. Hannah, since you play the violin, you can join the band we have. Katrina, you'll be the story teller. As for you Christella, you can sub for Riza in the part of Christine in Music of the Night. You just have to faint and follow Darwin's leads. That's it…"

"But what about the song quota? We need three or four songs." Katrina interjected. Roy turned to Riza.

"Riza… if it's not too much but would you mind if we asked you to sing 'Think of Me'?" All of a sudden, all eyes were on Riza. If she refused to sing, they were in trouble. She was the only one who could save the presentation. Riza considered the pros and cons of the decision. But at the end she arrived at her choice.

"Of course… I can sing Think of Me." She said softly, with a small smile. Everyone else gave out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you Riza." Roy said her, holding her hand, thanking her. Mr. Davies then corrected the details.

"Okay, we have around 15 minutes left… I'll run through these details quick, and then we'll practice All I Ask of You. We're performing at the auditorium, so there's a space for the band. I invited teachers also. Your adviser, Ms. Ramirez… Ms. Hale, of course, I will be there too. But those two will be there too. So try to do a good job. That's all really, now can I hear a part of All I Ask of You?" Riza and Roy nodded. The others gave them space, and the two stood in the middle of the hall, facing each other.

"Blow us away guys!" Hannah encouraged. Darwin clapped enthusiastically. Katrina and the others, even Christella were all smiles. The two took a deep breath before Roy started off with Raoul's part.

In the middle of the song, they didn't notice the time. The bell didn't ring again, and so they didn't notice Ms. Ramirez come up the stairs for their History class. Seeing that all backs were turned away from her, she stood, not moving, behind Mr. Davies, and she stayed there until they finished. When they did finish, there were happy squeals, until Ms. Ramirez cleared her throat. It was only then that they realized that she was there. Mr. Davies was most 'freaked out' by the sudden appearance given that she was standing right behind him.

"Oh my goodness… I am so sorry, Ms. Ramirez, I didn't check the time." Ms. Ramirez merely raised an eyebrow in reply.

"Well the bell didn't ring. That was a very interesting performance. Who knew that Mr. Mustang had a great singing voice? Maybe we can ask him to sing for the council." Ms. Ramirez said with a small smirk to match.

"You must be joking. Please tell me you're joking miss." Roy said with a groan.

"No I am not joking. I am always serious. Now, Mr. Davies if you please, I have a class to teach."

"Oh of course… I'll see you tomorrow, please come early so that you can set up. Good luck. Dismissed." He said as he hurried off to the direction of the stairs leaving the group and Ms. Ramirez standing there.

"Well? What are you all waiting for? Get inside… we have a quiz." Ms. Ramirez said, rather seriously.

--

The day was over quickly and soon, Riza found herself back at home, playing the songs from the Phantom of the Opera on her laptop. She would sing along occasionally, while reviewing for her other classes. On her bed, the dress she was going to wear was neatly folded. It was a long, white dress that Isabelle had lent to her. Beside it was a long, scarlet cloak that belonged to Colleen Mustang. She would be wearing the cloak over the white dress during the number of All I Ask of You. She would wear the dress alone when singing Think of Me. On the floor, were some flats that Riza found in her closet. They were not completely black, due to the fact that there were small rhinestones embedded making a design.

A messenger window popped up with a message from Roy.

_Hi… please be early tomorrow… we want to squeeze all the practices we can. We can do this guys! Good luck. _

Riza smiled to herself as she typed 'okay' in reply. In no time, Roy replied again, this time with a more personal message.

_Hey… good luck tomorrow. You're a really great singer Riza. Thanks for saving the presentation. We owe you one. Maybe during the weekends, we can celebrate at the mall._

To this Riza replied:

_Of course. Your treat, Roy? You're not a bad singer as well… you're pretty good at it. Maybe you should take Ms. Ramirez's advice._

It took Roy a while to reply, but Riza was laughing so hard when she read the reply.

_Oh please don't believe anything Ms. Ramirez says. She's a really crafty story teller. But I am not singing for the council even to save my life. Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow; I have more work for the council. Heaven knows I need a break. _

Riza decided not to bother him any longer and closed the window. She just went on and continued with her business.

--

Riza went to bed early that night, slightly nervous. Beatrice had called for dinner really early so that Riza could rest. After dinner, Riza thanked to Beatrice and went to her room. She stayed her for the rest of the night. She was still listening to music and memorizing lyrics when Sunny called. The two chatted for quite some time before Riza asked to be excused because she need to sleep. Sunny greeted her good luck and hung up.

--

Early the next day, Riza entered the classroom and saw that half of the group was there already, practicing. Katrina was reading out the short summary of the Phantom to Hannah, who was giving her comments. Roy was at the council office, talking to Ms. Ramirez about some things. Darwin was practicing for Music of the Night.

"Sorry I'm late." Riza said, dropping her things on her chair.

"You're not late, Riza… do you mind if you run through Think of Me?" Kat asked her.

"Of course not… but I need to sing without the music first…" She said as she prepared herself. Then, taking a deep breath, she sung the first few lines.

"_Think of me… think of me fondly, when we've said goodbye… remember me, once in a while, please promise me you'll try… When you find, that once again you long, to take your heart back and be free…" _Everyone's attention was on Riza singing that they didn't notice people coming in silently. Soon, people were sitting there, just listening to Riza sing.

"_If you ever find a moment, spare a thought of me…" _Riza paused because this was the part where there would be a short instrumental. Then she took a deep breath and continued.

"_We never said our love was evergreen or as unchanging as the sea… but if you can still remember, stop and think of me." _A small cough prompted Kat to stop Riza from finishing the song. When they turned around, a lot of people were there, even people from other classes.

"And what are you ALL doing here staring at us?" Katrina said, half joking. Some of the students who were there pretended to busy themselves with something and didn't respond to Kat's question.

"Alright… now where we?"

--

The day went by quickly as some teachers were nice enough to give a portion of their time for the group to practice… provided of course they sing to the class. Katrina argued that they were only going to sing a part or it would spoil the entire presentation. Nevertheless, they still practiced their songs.

--

Soon, it was the last few minutes of lunch time, and the group was going back and forth from the auditorium, bringing some of the props. Some of their classmates tagged along, like Sunny, who had to check if the piano was ready. Sunny was going to be the main pianist for the group.

Before leaving the auditorium, Roy gathered them all and gave a few words of encouragement.

"Alright guys, this is it. We crammed and all, but I know it's going to be great. We've all worked so hard, and we've gone through so many things. Let's just forget about all the problems and concentrate on this project. Break a leg guys, good luck." Roy said, smiling. He had donned his costume earlier, and he looked rather dashing in his 'old Parisian' outfit. Riza had yet to dress up, but she was ready. A bit nervous, but still, ready. The group left to get ready, but as Riza started to leave, she felt a hand stop her from leaving. It was Roy.

"What is it?" Riza asked, softly.

"Nothing… I just wanted to wish you good luck."

"Good luck to you too… Roy." Roy let go, and Riza went out of the room, leaving him there.

--

"Okay, everyone settle down. First.. I would like to acknowledge the presence of Ms. Hale and Ms. Ramirez who will help me grade the group…" Mr. Davies was addressing the class, well at least, what was left of it. Behind the curtain, the group was preparing. Riza would sing first, after Katrina delivers a gist of the Phantom of the Opera. Then slow music and the lights going off would cue Riza to enter for Think of Me. Then everything else should follow. Riza was seated on one of the spare chairs kept there, deep in thought. She came back to reality when someone tapped her shoulder.

"Hey, good luck. We're starting." Roy said, before leaving her. Riza just had a small smile even if he didn't see it.

--

"The story of the Phantom of the Opera will take you back to 1861, the time when the Opera Populaire was still bustling with excitement…" Kat began the story. After a few minutes, the slow music started, and the lights faded. Recognizing the cue, Riza went out quietly to the middle of the stage and waited for Sunny to play the first few notes of Think of Me. When the lights faded back in, Sunny started playing the piano and Riza, after the first few notes, sang the song.

Ms. Ramirez, seated in front, was taking a video of the entire presentation while listening to the performance. Frankly, she was impressed with Riza's determination and talent. The song was as sweet as the original singer's version, yet, somehow, it was Riza's own. Ms. Hale also watched intently from the front. She was the team leader for Music and Dance, and she was amazed at the amount of talent Riza had.

In no time, Riza was finished with the song. The lights faded out again, and this time, strong, loud music played as Darwin and Christella, now playing Christine, entered the stage. When the lights went back on, the band played the first notes of Music of the Night, and as done earlier, Darwin sang, with Christella following his cue.

Backstage, Riza slipped on the cloak, and fixed her slightly curled hair (Hannah insisted that she curl Riza's hair that it would appear wavy) so that it would appear presentable. Roy, in the meantime, was pacing around the backstage, trying to remember his lines.

"Hey Roy…" Riza called out softly.

"Yeah?" Roy asked, pausing.

"Thanks for everything… let's just do our best. Like the first time we sang together." Riza replied.

"Of course… you can expect that from me." Roy said with a smile. Riza couldn't help but smile back.

--

Applause signaled that the lights should go out and the music fade. Then, Riza, led by Roy, made their way to the stage, switching places with Darwin and Christella. When they got backstage, Darwin and Chris quickly joined the others in the audience. The cue for the song started, and sweet music from the band began. Roy and Riza, wearing their microphones, so that they were able to move around freely, slowly began.

"…_No more talk of darkness. Forget these wide-eyed fears. I'm here… nothing can harm you. My words will warm and calm you.._ Let me be your freedom, let daylight dry your tears. I'm here with you, beside you, to guard you and to guide you..." Roy sang Raoul's part. Just like the very first time he and Riza sang the song at his house, a week back.

"_Say you'll love me ev'ry waking moment. Turn my head with talk of summertime… say you need me with you now and always. Promise me all that you say is true… That's all I ask of you…_" Riza sang in a soft, melodic voice. She saw was Roy's smiling face as he took a deep breath before continuing Raoul's part.

"_Let me be your shelter. Let me be your light. You're safe, no one will find you. Your fears are far behind you._" This time Riza was ready. As soon as Roy ended, she sang the next few lyrics.

"_All I want is freedom…_" Riza began. Suddenly It seemed like it was that same day, when they first sang together. Only, now it was better, because the music was better. "_…A world with no more night. And you…_" Riza's voice softened a bit. "_…always beside me. To hold me and to hide me._" Riza now had a very beautiful smile on her face. Roy's face had a beautiful smile, that emitted something different, a different aura. This was a different Roy that Riza was now seeing. It was a Roy that was sweet, gentle and loving.

"_Then say that you'll share with me one love, one lifetime…_" Roy sang, their eyes meeting. They were now holding hands as they sang, making it seem like the real thing.

"…_let me lead you form your solitude. Say you need me with you here beside you. Anywhere you go let me go too… Christine, that's all I ask of you._"

"_Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime… say the word and I will follow you._" Riza sang as soon as Roy finished. He and Riza started slowly dancing around the stage, making the scene seem even sweeter.

"_Share each day with me, each night, each morning_" They sang together. Everyone was now at the edge of their seats, enchanted by the lovely music the two were making.

"_Say you love me…_" Riza sang.

"_You know I do._" Roy replied.

"_Love me… that's all I ask of you..._" They sang together. At this point, the music played louder as Roy carried Riza and twirled her around. Riza, although surprised by the action, just let Roy, and smiled. He slowly put her down as they were nearing their last few lines.

"_Anywhere you go let me go too! Love me…_" Their voices dropped to a whisper that it seemed that they were singing it to each other.

"…_That's all I ask… of you._" The music played, and softly, the musical presentation ended. As soon as the lights went out, the entire class, even the teachers stood up and applauded the two. From the band, to the teachers (even Ms. Ramirez, who had to put down the video camera she had) and even to their own group mates. Riza faced Roy, who was smiling. Roy smiled as he gave Riza a hug.

Before they took their bow, he softly whispered into Riza's ear.

"…Thank you."

--

**Yes I know… short.. not the usual length. But still. :)) Now, back to my apologies. I really am very sorry for the VERY LONG WAIT. I had college entrance tests to take care of, plus the projects we had. I just had no time. :(( But please, even if I was so busy, please take time to review and read this chapter. I know you might be upset that I took SOOOOOO LONG. But I am so sorry. I'll try to find time again. ******** But thanks! BTW, I got some details from . so there.:D**


	13. Tough Competition: Part 1

**Hi guys! I redid chapter 13… since I thought of something in my sleep that would make it a bit more interesting… Hopefully it does work. And I do apologize. To all of you, especially hose who have been waiting. Chapter 14 is still in the works, and I have been so busy because I'm preparing for my first year in college. ******** But anyways… here's the new version of Chapter 13. Enjoy and if you can, please review. Please and thanks!**

**Yes, all FMA characters are Hiromu Arakwa's and I do not have power to buy them. But the rest, are mine. ******

--

**CHAPTER 13: Tough Competition Part I **

"Yes, and as you know, the annual sports festival is coming up, and I know that you very, very talented people will have a lot to do, especially for your batch." Ms. Ramirez was giving the daily homeroom reminders for the nth time in the year. She was still her perky self, raising her eyebrow once an odd comment was made.

"I trust that no one misbehaves. I must commend the actions that you officers have been doing the past few months. The exams are over and your report cards will be out after the sportsfest, and I must say, I am happy with the way many of you performed well on my History test." She continued on. Riza was standing up beside Ms. Ramirez just in case there was anything she needed to address. Roy wasn't in the room as the council officers were still making their daily rounds around the school.

"Ms. Ramirez?" Christella raised her hand.

"Yes?"

"I would like to ask if Sophia has been coordinating with he class representatives as in tradition before the sportsfest." She asked, a large smile on her face. But Ms. Ramirez had an equal counter.

"Well, maybe Riza can address that as she is the representative. I am not in the liberty to discuss council gatherings with just anyone. So Riza if you please." Riza just nodded and took the spot that Ms. Ramirez left vacant.

"Well, as I found out, each year, for the festival, there is a certain theme per batch, and the theme for the Juniors is Pirates. Like ships, pirate lingo and all that. So, we need to elect two reps to be on the Junior sports fest committee this year. And I am opening it now for nominations."

Several hands shot up and Riza took them each one by one and tallied it on the board. By the end of the period, Ruben and Amber were elected the reps and had to go out for a meeting. The bell rang at exactly 10:15 signaling the end of the period.

"I will see you later for a new topic in History." Ms. Ramriez said as she left the room. Riza went back to her place and Sunny went over to talk to her.

"That Christella is always stirring trouble."

"What do you mean?" Riza asked.

"Asking about Sophia. The poor girl has been down for several days now. I mean, sure it's only November and all, but the poor kid. And she's been absent at least twice a week for almost a month now."

"Well, yeah… I overheard Roy talking about Sophia. I think the entire council is worried. Maybe someone should talk to her." Riza suggested. At that very moment, Roy entered the room, his jacket neatly hanging on his right arm.

"Well, I bet the council has been trying to. I heard from Aurelia that Sophia hasn't been herself."

"Well, let's try to talk to her then. Anyways, I think I see Ms. Hale, you better get back to your seat." Riza said with a small smile. And she was right, Ms. Hale entered the room at that moment.

--

"Now the word 'crusade' may have been based on the word 'crux'…" Ms. Ramirez was in the middle of her lecture about the Crusades. It was interesting, and once in a while, Ms. Ramirez would crack a joke or tell a funny story.

"Speaking of invasions and wars, one of my former students celebrated her 18th birthday. Her friend was nice enough to ask her old teachers to write her cards, and I was asked to. So I wrote. Dear, let's say her name was Katherine. Dear Katherine, happy 18th birthday and all the usual stuff. Then I wrote, I heard you were invading your college! Well enjoy…" The class laughed, because it was hard to say that one person can invade an entire college.

"But, back to the topic…" And the lecture went on and on.

--

"Hey Riza." Riza turned to face who had called her from behind. It was Roy. She gave him a small smile, acknowledging his presence.

"Yes, is there anything you need?"

"Listen, I don't know if it's a lot to ask from you. Especially since you're a new student here." Roy began.

"I was a new student three months ago. Now I'm like you guys. Name it. What is it?"

"It's Sophia."

"Oh… I heard." Riza said, closing her locker door and locking it.

"She's been so down and not herself lately." Roy explained.

"I heard. Did you guys try talking to her?"

"Yeah we did but --" He was unable to finish his statement because Christella suddenly clapped her hands over his eyes.

"Guess who!!!" Christella said in her unusual high pitched voice.

"Christella.." Roy muttered. Riza knew he didn't like the attention she constantly gave him. "Can you please remove your hands from my eyes?! It's starting to hurt." Christella, although disappointed that he wasn't in a good mood, obeyed.

"Thank you. Now please give me a moment to talk to Riza."

"But Roy, you promised you'd eat lunch with me." Christella whined, her friends giggling behind her.

"I know, but please leave me alone first. It's official council business, and I have to get it done with." Roy said sternly.

"Hmph. Fine. I'll see you in the cafeteria." And she turned on her heel and left.

"You don't like the attention." Riza said, giggling.

"Yeah, hate it. She keeps doing it to annoy me!" Roy said.

"Alright, you were saying?" Riza said.

"I need a favor to ask you. Since you and Sophia have been rather close especially after you're the rep of the class. And since Ms. Ramirez herself suggested it. Or rather… uhm how should I say it?"

"Go ahead, just name it." Riza said with a smile.

"Well for one I, or rather… we the council, need you to talk to Sophia."

"Okay… that I can do. But you've tried haven't you? Didn't you ask her what the problem was?" Riza replied, accepting.

"We did. But I guess she can open up a bit more to you. And I think she has something to tell you." Roy said simply, giving Riza a pat on the back as he started to leave for the cafeteria.

"Oh… and before I forget. Hopefully, you get to talk to her before Friday. Ms. Ramirez wants to see you at the next council meeting. This Friday. See you." Roy said, not even turning around but gave a little wave as he left.

That left Riza puzzled.

--

**YES! I know it is still VERY short, I apologize. But I'd like to end it there. Chapter 14 is coming in soon…. Don't worry… The summer won't end without me posting that. ******** It's getting pretty difficult now that I'm done with high school. Cheers! **


	14. Tough Competition: Part 2

**HI! At least I was finally able to update although I'm feeling a bit under the weather. ******** But I can't make you guys wait… and it's going to be more difficult for me to write this since I am no longer in high school ehehehe. **

**Hope you guys enjoy. It's the continuation of the very short chapter 13. :D And I'll have an explanation for the events, if you get troubled.**

**As usual, none of the FMA characters are mine, but the teachers and the rest of the students are mine. ******

**--**

**Chapter 14: Tough Competition II**

To put it simply, Riza was worried that she wouldn't be able to talk to Sophia. It was already Thursday, and she still hadn't gotten the chance to talk to Sophia.

"Yo!" Riza turned around and saw Charm and Sunny smiling behind her.

"Hey…" Riza returned the greeting, although less enthusiastic.

"What's up? You seem pretty troubled Riza… what's wrong?" Charm asked, as she opened her locker, which was beside Riza's.

"Wait, wait… lemme guess. You still haven't talked to Sophia." Sunny said. Sunny was the only one who knew what Roy wanted Riza to do. Riza slowly nodded as a reply. Sunny gave her friend a reassuring hug.

"Listen, it's not your fault. Sophia's been absent Tuesday and Wednesday. I'm sure Roy would have noted that as well. And if he gets mad at you, I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind. What was he thinking when he was asking you for such a huge favor?!" Sunny exclaimed, trying to cheer Riza up.

"Hey… that favor wasn't that huge. It's fine with me." Riza said managing a much wider smile. "Anyways, she is present. I asked Aurelia. And I asked Aurelia to relay a message to Sophia that I wanted to talk to her during lunch at the library." Riza added.

"Well, good luck to you then. Hopefully it gets over with. Come on, we have Geom and Home Ec next. Hopefully Ms. Ross won't scream at me again for almost chopping my fingers of or something." Sunny said. As she opened the door.

"Well, if you were a bit more careful, she need not reprimand you. And besides, we have Geom and a lecture today, not cooking." Charm pointed out. Sunny just shrugged and went in the classroom.

--

The classes moved fast, and they had a pile of homework for geometry and another whole pile of notes and homeworks courtesy of Home Economics. It seems that all the teachers were moving quickly so as not to be delayed by the coming sportsfest.

Riza made her way to the library after putting her books back in the locker, and getting the ones she needed next. Charm and Sunny had gone off to the canteen, but wished Riza luck before leaving.

'_I'm just going to talk to her… how hard is it supposed to be? Sophia's a nice girl.' _Riza said as she made her way down a flight of stairs to the library. When she entered, she immediately saw Sophia in one of the separate rooms usually used for group studies. Riza took a deep breath before going in.

"Hey Sophia. Glad to see you again." Riza greeted with a smile.

"Hi Riza, it's wonderful to see you again." Sophia replied, cheerfully. _'This is a good sign…'_ Riza thought as she sat down across Sophia.

"Have you had lunch?" Riza asked. Sophia nodded in reply. Riza just gave a small smile before continuing. She knew she wasn't supposed to rush things. Everything has to be natural, she told herself.

"How have you been?" Riza asked once more.

"Honestly, the usual answer would be fine or okay. But saying that right now would be just lying to myself and to you. Well, everything is not so fine… especially at home." Sophia said sadly, not looking Riza in the eye. Riza felt a pang in her heart. She knew what it felt like to have problems within the home. She had through that more than once in her life.

"Hey… take it easy. I'm sorry, maybe I shouldn't have asked you that way." But Sophia shook her head.

"No.. it's alright. I'm actually glad that you came here to talk. Actually, I really need to talk to you. Yes, I've talked to Ms. Ramirez and to the entire council about this. And I need you to know something."

Now Riza felt as if something was hidden from her all this time, and it seemed like a really grave, serious matter.

"I told you that everything wasn't fine at home… well not fine for the past few months at least." Sophia started.

"Sophia… listen, I understand your sentiments. I've been through family problems in the past. And it wasn't a great experience…" Riza paused. It seemed difficult for her to speak of something like her family problems to a girl she only met three months ago. "But it resulted to my mother falling sick. And later on… she passed away. My dad changed afterwards. It was difficult. So I understand where you're coming from."

"You mentioned your mother fell sick. "Sophia said. Riza nodded.

"If you don't mind, what was the illness of your mother?"

"… it was colon cancer. She knew for a while, but didn't tell us. By the time we found out, it was too late. The cancer had spread and there was no way to have saved her." Riza replied after a while, a pained expression on her face.

"Looks like you know what I'm going through. You see… I'm leaving the school. My older brother had leukemia, and it's already in its late stages. I have to leave school to be home schooled because we can no longer afford the fees here…" Riza fell silent by what she learned.

"Sophia… I am so sorry. But there's still hope. Your brother can still be saved. There's still this ray of hope that can just burst out anytime. You have to keep that hope alive." Sophia gave a small smile as a reply. "Listen, Sophia, you're a very strong, brave girl, and I admire you for that. I already admired you for being such a great representative, and now I admire you for being a great sister. That sacrifice is huge, and I know your brother will appreciate it greatly. You're a wonderful girl and friend Sophia." Riza said, reaching out to pat her hand.

Sophia smiled and squeezed Riza's hand.

"It's great to have met you too. Now… that I've told you everything. There's something else I need to tell you." Riza's head went up so quickly, because she knew that this was the serious matter Sophia had been talking about.

"I am leaving. I submitted my resignation almost a month ago. Now, the school has rules regarding the installment of a replacement officer. The first involves the teachers. They will all sit down at a meeting with the principal and other middle administrators and discuss the possible replacements, most of them, the elected class representatives." Sophia explained. "Now… after the meetings, the teachers will decide on who to put in the post, and after a decision is made, Ms. Ramirez had to talk to the council. Now if no one was chosen, the position would immediately go to the losing candidate in the last election, and that's Christella." Sophia paused, and silence filled the room. Riza couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"I know it's weird that you are a new student… only 3 months in, but it's only for the remainder of the school term. Especially since there's an upcoming leadership training slash exchange program. The council, Ms. Ramirez included though it was best if I broke the news to you. You have been selected to replace me for the remained of the year. Congratulations." Sophia stood up, smiling, and went over to Riza and gave her a hug.

"Sophia… I… you're not serious are you?" Riza managed to say.

"Well, I am serious. And there's no stopping it now. And I trust in your abilities. You're one fantastic leader Riza. You have it in you, and I think you can take all the challenges ahead. That's why they chose you."

"Is that why Roy asked me to talk to you before Friday?" Riza asked, sitting down again. Sophia just stood there beside her.

"Well, yes. That's why. Because tomorrow, you're going to join them for the meeting and they have things to discuss: the leadership training and the sportsfest. If you must know now, the training comes before the sportsfest, and the latter is scheduled on the last week of November. But I'll leave the rest for you to find out." Sophia said with a smile.

"You really are serious. Christella won't be pleased." Riza said, in an almost joking tone.

"Well Christella isn't easy to please. But it's the school and the faculty's decision. And beside, if I had the chance to pick my successor, it'd still be you. Come on, we'll be late for our classes. I wish you luck." Riza stood up and gave Sophia another hug.

"When are you leaving?" Riza asked as they left the room.

"Next week…" Sophia replied. "I'll be their for your induction." She added with a wink.

"Induction?!?" Riza exclaimed.

"Of course. Take it easy okay. And don't tell people about this yet. The principal wants to make the formal announcement. If it was me, I'd throw away all formalities!" Sophia said happily. They left the library together and went back up to the third year corridor.

"Riza." Sophia called out as they were going their separate ways. Riza stopped and turned.

"It makes me feel happy that I managed to tell you about everything. It makes me feel lighter in some sense. Thank you. I'll never forget this." Sophia said softly. Riza smiled.

"It's no problem Sophia. And if anything happens, you'll always have me as a friend."

--

**And that's it. ******** confusing yes… But if you think that it all happens a bit fast… there was an experience I had in high school when the elected officer had to resign and leave… and that was the exact procedure used. ******** So there…**

**I do hope you like it. I'm running out of ideas since I wasn't able to update in a long time and since I'm already a college student. But I promised that I'll finish this. And the Royai Fluff comes out next chapter. PROMISE. Please review thanks so much!**


	15. A Time Well Spent

**Hey guys I am back! It took a while to formulate this in my head and I even had to ask some of my former schoolmates for help! But it's worth it… and I do hope you guys enjoy it. :D **

**And the usual disclaimer: none of the FMA characters are mine, but the rest are made up and mine. :D **

**--**

**CHAPTER 15: A Time Well Spent**

"I remember telling you guys that English class this year isn't like the English class that you know…" Ms. Hale stated as she leaned on the teacher's table. Everyone was attentive, waiting for what she had to say. It was finally Friday, and they were in their second class, and one of the more enjoyable classes: English.

"… And true to my word, it's not the normal English class where you learn grammar etc. etc… you see, in our department, we decided to make things more exciting for you guys to learn. And thanks to our new teacher Mr. James Stalder, we came up with projects like your photo shoot. And let me tell you, all your photos were impressive." The entire class filled with smiles, happy that their teacher enjoyed their work. "I can't return them now because I have to show that to the admin for future references. But for now, I'm going to give you another small project. I know, I know… you just had your exams, you're getting your cards next week --"

"WE'RE GETTING OUR CARDS NEXT WEEK!?" Came the shout from one or two in the class. Ms. Hale didn't seem mad. Rather she seemed amused.

"Why of course it's coming next week. And I'd rather you not shout that again Mr. Briony. Anyway. I say it's a small project because you'll be working in pairs. This time, I give you the freedom to choose your pairs!" Whispers broke out again, growing louder and louder. Everyone wanted to pick their pairs before they end up getting paired with someone they didn't like. "OK, fine, pick out your pairs first, then I'll continue with the instructions." Ms. Hale gave in. Riza raised her hand and Ms. Hale called on her.

"Ms. Hale, there are 39 of us in the class."

"I see. Thank you Riza. One of you in threes." Ms. Hale said and Ruben's hand shot up immediately with a 'US' following right after. "Alright then Mr. Simon, your group will have three members. Now please go about finding your pair in a quiet and orderly manner. We're going to end up disturbing classes."

Riza turned to look at Sunny, and the latter mouthed that she and Charm were partners. Riza smiled and nodded. Before she could stand and looked around, someone tapped her shoulder and she turned to her left, and found Roy sitting there facing her,

"No need to look so far for a partner. You want to pair up?" Roy asked with a small smile. Riza didn't even think twice.

"Of course. I didn't think of asking you! It slipped my mind perhaps." Riza explained, tuning slightly pink.

"No worries. Then it's a deal then?"

"I already said yes." Riza reminded him, smiling.

"Perfect." Roy answered. He turned away to write something in his notebook, and Riza turned to face the board. From the corner of her eye, she could see a very annoyed Christlella talking to Amber. Roy noticed that she was eyeing Christella as well.

"Don't let it bother you." He said softly, pretending to scan his notes.

"What?" Riza asked. She thought she misheard him.

"Don't mind Christella. She gets easily annoyed. You'll have to get used to her." Roy explained and Riza's face split into a smile. Before she could say anything, Ms. Hale ordered the class to quiet down so she could explain what they were going to do.

"Alright, enough… I have to tell you the instructions first, then you can pair up. As a teacher, I can easily distinguish a student's writing style. And since you are my students this year, I decided to have this project to help me discover your writing style so I can help and correct you as well. As partners, you will have to take a new batch of photos. Of each other. Now you need at least 10 photos. Why? Because you will each need four solo pictures and two with the two of you together. Now I don't want to be the super strict teacher, and so I want you guys to form a strong bond of friendship. And it's easier to begin small, so we start with this. Once you have your pictures, your partner will write a short essay, 500 words maximum about you, describing you from the pictures. And likewise you do that for your partner. Then you will write essays about yourselves. The picture of you guys together, also needs an essay. I require each pair to write them together. Design the pages and make it presentable, due next Thursday. Any questions?" The class was smiling now. Although the project required much writing, it was indeed a time for them to get to know each other better and they were all excited for it.

"Seeing as there are no question, break up into your pairs, and talk about it. I'm giving you the rest of the period." Almost everyone stood up to meet up with their partners. Roy turned to face Riza so they could talk about it.

"Well, well, well… it's a writing project." Roy muttered.

"What's wrong with it?" Riza asked, curious.

"Nothing really. Anyways, don't let that bother you either. You want to get it done this weekend? The council's going to be pretty busy next week." He asked, his voice dropping into a whisper when he reached the part about the council.

"Oh, I forgot that you knew all along… now why didn't you just tell me?" Riza asked.

"Sophia must have told you the reason. Anyway, you want to sleep over at my house? The guest room is always available. Whenever we have projects like this my parents don't mind people sleeping over." Roy said.

"At your house?"

"Yeah, there are a lot of places to take pictures too. And besides, my mother would be happy there are more people in the house. They'd like to meet you as well." Roy explained smiling. "So, what do you say?" Riza thought about it for a moment.

"Alright then."

--

"Woo hoo! One more subject and we're done for the day!!" Charm exclaimed as she, Sunny and Riza headed to the canteen for lunch.

"The day may be over for you but I still have a lot to do." Riza said.

"Agree, and it's geometry, Charm. How can you take it so lightly?" Sunny asked.

"Exactly! It's just a subject. Honestly, Sunny, you have to be erm… 'sunnier'" Charm said with a laugh.

"A subject may be a subject, but it's still important." Riza pointed out.

"Don't overwork yourself, girl! There's still a lot in store. Too bad though they decided to move the intramurals to February. And the cards are next week! But I'm sure you're not worried." Sunny stated.

"I doubt you'd be worried too, Sunny. You're a smartie." Charm said with a huge smile.

"I've had my bad days." Sunny replied simply.

"Everyone has their bad days, but you can't deny the fact that you are intelligent." Riza countered as they entered the canteen.

"Hey don't gang up on me you two!" Sunny complained.

"We're not ganging up on you. Rather, we're complimenting you. Honestly, I think you should relax Sunny." Riza said, laughing. Sunny gave in with a sigh, and the three headed off to buy their food.

--

"Ms. Stanley, can I have a word with Ms. Hawkeye?" Ms. Ramirez interrupted last class of the day, geometry class that afternoon.

"Of course, Ms. Ramirez. Go ahead Ms. Hawkeye. Now back to what I was saying, you have to use this postulate…" Riza stood up and walked out using the back door.

"Yes, Ms. Ramirez?" Riza said as she closed the door and walked towards her adviser.

"I need to give you this call slip. It's from the principal. Go drop by Mr. Havelock's office later before going to the council office for the meeting." She handed Riza a yellow piece of paper with Riza's name on it. "Oh and I'd like to be the first to say, Congratulations. I'll see you later." She said smiling before turning to leave. Riza thanked her and went back to the room.

--

Everyone was relieved when the bell finally rang signaling the end of the day. But Ms. Stanley didn't leave the room without handing out homework and some of the quizzes she already checked.

"I'm giving out your exams next week! All of your teachers will, as we're required to show them to you before the report cards." This earned several groans from Riza's classmates as very few were enthusiastic about seeing their exams. The class said goodbye to their teacher, and after that, Riza quickly fixed her stuff, and put her books back in her locker. She pulled out the yellow call slip from her pocket and picked up her bag before she left the room.

"Hey Riza!" Roy was returning his books when Riza exited the room.

"Hi Roy."

"You didn't forget the meeting right?"

"Of course I didn't forget it. Anyways, I have to go down to the principal's office first. Ms. Ramirez knows I'm there for a while."

"I see… alright then. Oh tell you what, give me your things and I'll take them down to the office myself." Roy offered, shutting his locker door.

"Oh no, I can't impose, Roy." Riza said, shaking her head slightly.

"No it's alright! Really, and besides, you'll be late for your meeting…" He teased. Riza hesitated.

"Oh fine then. But I owe you one." Riza said as she handed Roy her things.

"Go on, see you at the meeting. And don't worry; your things are safe with me." Roy said with a wink.

--

When Roy entered the council room, it was slightly chaotic.

"YO ROY!" Hughes greeted from above the hubbub.

"What the heck is going on here? Where is Ms. Ramirez?" Roy asked as he put down his things on the floor before putting down Riza's things on an empty chair beside his.

"Got called by the principal." Hughes explained.

"Hey Mustang! Are you a porter now? Carrying stuff for girls?" Ed said with a laugh. The entire room laughed along, but Roy was not amused.

"I was being kind to her."

"Ooooh… Kind? Kindness leads to something else." Hughes said with a sparkle in his eye.

"I was being polite." Roy came up with an excuse.

"Yeah right. Yo Ed! You still remember our bet?" Hughes asked seeing through Mustang's excuse.

"What bet?!" Ed asked.

"What bet, what bet, don't pretend you don't remember Edward. Remember??" Hughes asked, hinting it with his eyes.

"I have no idea what the—OH THAT BET." Ed exclaimed, remembering. "HEY NO FAIR! I was on the losing side of that bet. And besides, that was so long ago!"

"A bet's a bet. And I still bet they'd be inseparable. Now, buy me lunch tomorrow!" Hughes declared.

"NO FAIR." Ed said, slamming his hands on the table. The room went silent.

"Hold on you guys had a bet about me!?" Roy shouted.

"Of course we did. It's so fun betting about people's relationships. Especially yours Mr. Mustang." Hughes added with a grin.

"Don't go betting behind my back!!"

"HAHAHA, what's stopping us?" Ed said, laughing. The rest of the council burst into laughter. "Alright, Hughes, I give in… I'm buying you lunch. Mustang's annoyed face is priceless." Ed gave in, putting his feet on the table.

"Why I ought to…" Roy started.

"Ease up Roy… it's all clean fun!" Hughes said.

"Let them go this time, Roy… Or world war III will start." Aurelia said with a smile.

"Hmph. FINE. I'm letting you off this time." Roy said, sitting down on his chair.

"Now that that's that… What do we do to pass the time?" Hughes asked the council, looking at his watch. "It's almost 3 PM."

"How are your days so far?" Ryan asked the rest of the council.

"My calculus exam came back. Not so good." Nika said sadly.

"Well some of us are bound to have bad marks." Ed said. "Old Mrs. Gavrilo came wheezing in the room, carrying our exams." Ed complained, copying his teacher's action. "Have you heard the time when old Mr. Simon told our class, 'you, you and you, the both of you three!" Everyone burst out into laughter, even Roy.

"Did you hear the one about the student who's going to get a lot of homework from Mrs. Gavrilo when she hears about that impersonation?" A voice called out from the door, all the members, except Ed stood up.

"No I haven't heard that yet." Ed said oblivious of the fact that Ms. Ramirez and Riza had entered the room.

"Yes, you must hear that one. His name is Edward Elric, and he's been warned so many times FEET OFF THE TABLE MR. ELRIC." Ed got startled when he realized it was Ms. Ramirez.

"Uhm… you heard wrong Ms. Ramirez!" Ed said.

"No I did not. I was kidding!" Ms. Ramirez said with a sly smile. Ed sighed in relief, while the council members laughed.

"Don't do that again Ms. R! You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"Don't. Call. Me. Ms. R. Sit down." They all obeyed, and Roy pulled out the chair beside him for Riza.

"Being such a gentleman, Mr. Mustang?" Ms. Ramirez said smirking. Hughes and Ed were snickering. Riza didn't know what was going on.

"It's nothing Ms. Ramirez… just a nice welcome for her."

"Fine, fine… I'll accept your explanation now. Now, for today's agenda: The incoming induction of our newest member, Ms. Hawkeye… I'm sure you all know about that already. And these letters…" She handed out neatly folded letters to each member. "That's for your parents to read. It's about the leadership training slash exchange program. There's a small fee, but don't worry. The school will reimburse when they have the funds… Mind you you're all required to go."

"Yes Ma'am." Everyone answered.

"Now that that's settled the next few things. You may have heard that the sports fest is being moved to February." Everyone nodded. "So that's out of our concerns now. Report cards next week, Saturday. We need you guys to help out ushering parents. Hughes, take charge of tasking."

"Yes Ms. Ramirez." Hughes answered, jotting it down.

"Next regarding the induction next Wednesday… it's just going to be in front of the teachers and the council since it will be difficult to negotiate the class schedules as of this time. But it will be announced likewise. So for that event…"

--

"Hey Riza!" Roy called out as they left the school.

"Roy… thanks so much for bringing my stuff to the office." Riza said, stopping.

"Don't mention it. Anyway, about tomorrow… I'll pick you up at 10?" He asked.

"Uhm… oh sure… thanks." Riza said turning pink again. "Anyway, Roy, I'll see you tomorrow… I have to cook dinner at home. Thanks for all the help." She said smiling. Roy nodded and she left.

"Well… looks like you got yourself a date." Said a voice behind Roy. Roy knew who it was and got irritated again.

"IT'S. NOT. A. DATE. Stop poking your noses into my personal business!!" Roy shouted at Hughes and Ed, who were looking very happy.

"Well, then what is it?"

"We have a project. That's it." Roy said, obviously annoyed that they were at it again.

"I bet it's more like a mini date… or something almost like a date." Hughes said.

"You're on!" Ed said shaking Hughes hands. "WAIT. HOLD ON…. I'm on the losing side again!"

"Too bad shrimp. We shook hands. Enjoy your mini date Roy, see ya!" Hughes said laughing as he left. Ed shouted and chased after him, leaving Roy sighing, and alone.

--

**HAHAHA. Okay, so I cut the fluff a bit here, but I sincerely do promise the next one is better. ******** Please review as usual. I appreciate them greatly!**

**Have a great day!**


	16. With A Real Family

**I AM BACK! And yes, I did promise a lot of you that this will have a huge chunk of Fluff, and yes it does. Hopefully you guys love it, as much as I loved writing it. I thank those who gave reviews (highly appreciated! I enjoy reading them), and to those who add this story to their favorite stories or to their story alerts, thank you, thank you. And to those who add me as a favorite author, THANK YOU so much also!**

**The usual disclaimers friends. All FMA characters are not mine *cries*, but the rest are mine. Please read and review… reviews are really appreciated.**

--

**CHAPTER 16: With A Real Family**

Beatrice had gotten home late again that night, and Riza was alone for most of the time. As much as she hated it when Beatrice went home late, she couldn't do anything. She always had to wait. She did her homework in the den, while listening to the evening news.

"…And we can expect the weather tomorrow will be sunny, and we will have clear skies, good enough for picnics, folks!" The weatherman on the TV announced.

'Wonderful. A clear sky. Now only if Beatrice actually asked if she wanted to hang out.' Riza thought as she crossed out the word Geometry from her homework list. She only had her Chemistry and History homework left.

"Let's do history first." She told herself and got out her history book. As she did, the letter Ms. Ramirez had handed out fell to the floor, along with the oath she had to learn. Riza set aside her book at bent down to pick up the pieces of paper on the floor.

'I think Beatrice has to read this one.' She thought as she set aside the paper containing the oath. She then turned her attention to the letter given by Ms. Ramirez. Just as she was about to open and read the letter, the phone rang, startling Riza a bit.

"Hello good evening." Riza said, regaining her composure.

"Riza is that you?" Said a familiar voice on the other line.

"Oh wait… Roy?" she recognized the voice immediately.

"Yeah it's me. How are you?" He asked.

"Nothing much. All's well… I'm fine really." Riza replied.. "What's up?" she casually said.

"That's great." He said laughing. Riza went off to sit on the couch and she turned down the volume of the television. "Listen, I told you I'd pick you up at 10 right?"

"Yeah you did." Riza replied, pretending to read the chapter on the Renaissance.

"Oh yeah.. listen. Can I pick you up earlier? Like at 7? Our cars are scheduled to get cleaned tomorrow, and by the time that finishes it may be a bit late already. The weather's great tomorrow I hear." He explained.

"Oh it's no problem! That'd be great so we can start early." Riza said, smiling to herself.

"Wonderful! Listen, you can have breakfast here. My parents don't mind. The rest of the family will be thrilled to meet you! They can't wait for you to get here." He said, sounding very cheerful.

"That's great, Roy. Thank you so much." She said, much happier now. "I'll see you tomorrow then?" she said.

"Yeah! See you, good night." And after that, he hung up.

"Looks like I have to finish all my homework tonight." Riza said to herself before going back to reading her history book.

--

Beatrice came home almost at 9 PM. By then, Riza had finished doing her homework, and was already getting ready to go to sleep.

"Good evening, Beatrice. You came home late." Riza greeted as she came down the stairs.

"Well, I had to work overtime and then my friends and I went out. What's for dinner?" her cousin replied bluntly.

"The pasta's in the refrigerator. You just need to heat it." Riza replied.

"Thanks. How was school?" Beatrice called out as she went to the kitchen.

"All fine. Oh by the way, Beatrice…" Riza said as she picked up the letter from the table and then followed Beatrice to the kitchen.

"What?" Beatrice replied as she sat down and drank a glass of water. Riza handed her the letter and Beatrice reached out for it. Riza pulled out a chair and sat across her cousin. She waited patiently as Beatrice read the letter.

"Did you read this letter?" Beatrice asked, eyebrow raised.

"No." Riza said, puzzled at why she would ask that.

"Well, this thing is going to be at your old school, in Crystal Springs." Beatrice answered, as if to taunt Riza.

"And so?"

"You're going to see everyone there again." Beatrice said.

"Well, the past is the past. If they want to talk, then fine, we'll talk. But I'm officially with Fountain now, and there's nothing they could do about that." Riza answered smartly. Beatrice was taken aback, and just continued reading the letter.

"I have to sign this?" She asked after a while.

"Of course. And you have to attach the payment, the amount's there…" Riza said.

"Are you serious? Five thousand bucks for this?" Beatrice exclaimed.

"It's going to be reimbursed, don't worry."

"What is it for anyway? What does it mean you're required?"

"Well, I forgot to tell you… but the representative of my batch is leaving, and I was chosen to replace her." Riza softly explained. Beatrice raised an eyebrow.

"And you need this when?"

"By Wednesday."

"Good. I'll call mom about it first. Honestly, why accept positions like that?" Beatrice ranted.

"You could at least be happy, you know." Riza retorted.

"Hey, listen, my mom's paying for your education already. Accepting positions like this is a big responsibility and you're just new. Honestly. What were they thinking?" Beatrice said as she pulled out the pasta from the refrigerator.

"It's grandpa who's paying for my education." Riza muttered.

"What's that?"

"Nothing. Must every night be like this?! If you must know, I am ready to assume that role and take the responsibility. And if you mean well, then at least consider paying for it. After all, the school is giving it back after." Riza said sharply as she left her seat. "And, I'm sleeping over at Roy's house tomorrow so we can finish our project. I'm done with homework. Good night."

"You seem to be spending a lot of time with that boy, Riza." Beatrice said, as she reread the letter. Riza stopped near the entrance of the kitchen.

"He's a friend. PERIOD. And you can't dictate what I should or shouldn't do in order to finish a project. Good night Beatrice." Riza said as she stomped out and up the stairs.

"Good night." Beatrice said, rather annoyed. She stood up, picked up the cordless phone from the couch and called up her mother.

'I guess I better ask now… or else Riza's gonna hate me for life. Mom isn't gonna like this.' She thought as she dialed.

--

Riza woke up early the next day. She packed her things and checked if her laptop was fully charged. She was taking it along so they could do the typing without having to borrow one of his sibling's laptops. She checked her phone: the clock read 6:15.

'Great. Forty five more minutes.' She thought as she slipped on her sandals. She grabbed her stuff and went down to wait. To her dislike, Beatrice was already there, having a cup of coffee with someone, whom Riza assumed was a friend at work.

"Good morning Riza!" Beatrice called out from the kitchen.

"Good morning." Riza grumpily said as she put down her things on the couch and turned on the television to catch the morning news.

"Who's she?" Riza could hear her cousin's friend talking about her.

"Her? Oh, she's just my cousin. My mom took her in and sent her to school here. She's paying for her school fees. She's in a bad mood…" Riza could hear her cousin's voice, although softer now. That put her in an even worse mood. She tried to concentrate on the news, but she couldn't wait to get out of the house.

"Riza!" Beatrice called from the kitchen. Riza stood up and went into the kitchen.

"You called?" She said as she entered.

"This is Cecilia. A friend of mine." Cecilia waved hi. Riza just nodded. "Anyway, here's the letter you wanted me to sign. Mom is going to give the fee you need. That's it." Beatrice said flatly, handing Riza the letter.

"Oh and before you leave," Beatrice said as Riza was leaving.

"Have fun, and give me a call when you get there." Riza didn't say anything and just went to wait in the den.

--

At seven AM sharp, Roy had gotten there, and Riza went into the kitchen to inform Beatrice that she was leaving. Then she opened the door and saw Roy standing there.

"Good morning." He greeted.

"Good morning." She replied.

"Are you okay?" He asked, concerned.

"It's nothing." She said as she closed the door. "Let's go."

"Here, let me take your bags." Roy offered.

"Nah… I can manage." Riza said with a smile.

"Oh come on, not even one bag?" He teased.

"No. Come on, or your mother will wonder where the heck you've gone to." She teased back. Roy just smiled.

"You know me quite well." He said as he opened the car door for her.

"Actually, I don't… I know you, but not 'well'" she said as they were on their way.

"Very good response." He said.

"You sure your parents don't mind my staying over?" she asked.

"Of course not. That's a silly question. I always have a lot of my classmates over at my house for projects. We expect it every year." He calmly said.

"You do have a full house already." She reminded him.

"Of course… but with both my parents and my older sisters usually out of the house, it's pretty quiet." He looked at her. "But don't worry… they're all there today. It's Saturday and they took a day off to relax."

"I see…" was all she could say.

--

"I'm home!" Roy called out when the doors were opened.

"They're in the dining room, Mr. Mustang." Harrison the butler said.

"Thank you Harrison." Roy said. "Oh and kindly take up Riza's bags to the guest room. She'll be staying for the night."

"Yes, sir." Harrison said. "Your bags Ms. Hawkeye." Riza handed her bags to him.

"Come with me." Roy said grabbing her hand and leading her to the dining room. They got to a room with white double doors, and Roy knocked before they entered.

"Good morning, mother. Good morning father." Roy greeted as he entered the dining room. It was a well-lit air conditioned room, with a long table good for at least ten people. The curtains were drawn and there was a very good view of the garden. The entire Mustang family was there having breakfast.

"Nice of you to join us, Roy." Isabelle piped up.

"Hello there Isabelle." He greeted. "Mother, Father, this is Riza Hawkeye."

"Good morning… Mr. and Mrs. Mustang." She greeted.

"Riza dear! Do join us for breakfast." Roy's mother, Cameron, greeted.

"Roy, Riza, do sit down. The food is getting cold." Roy's father, James, said.

"Yes, dad." Roy replied. "Here, Riza." He said leading her near the end of the table on the left side. "You can sit beside Isabelle. You two remember each other, don't you?"

"Of course I do. Come, don't be afraid!" Isabelle said. Roy pulled out a chair for her and Riza sat down. He sat down beside her to her left.

"How have you been?" Isabelle asked.

"Fine I guess…" was Riza's unsure answer.

"Roy's been nice to you?"

"Of course! He's been very nice to me."

"Well that's good… I thought that --" But Isabelle was cut off by the eldest, Colleen.

"Isabelle, let her eat first. She hasn't eaten yet."

"Fine, Colleen." Isabelle said with a small pout. "Eggs and bacon Riza?" she offered.

--

"Thank you so much for having me over Mr. and Mrs. Mustang." Riza politely said after breakfast.

"My dear, it's no problem! We enjoy having a lot of you kids here… brings the fun back to this house." Cameron said smiling. "I'm sure you've met Isabelle before…" Riza nodded in reply.

"Well then, the one beside her, is Colleen, our eldest, a lawyer like her dear father."

"And a great lawyer at that." James added. Colleen blushed a bit before smiling at Riza. She had chestnut brown hair and her mother's eyes, but almost the same built as Isabelle.

"Across you is Sarah. An honor's student just like her older siblings." Cameron introduced. Sarah was smaller than Roy, but was like a mini- Isabelle. "And lastly, Christopher, our youngest." Christopher has the same chestnut brown hair his eldest sister had and the Mustang dark blue eyes. Both Sarah and Christopher smiled at Riza.

"Are you and big brother Roy dating?" Sarah gamely asked. Roy and Riza looked at each other.

"That's not something you ask a guest, Sarah." Colleen lectured.

"I just want to know…" Sarah said with an innocent tone. "I mean, Riza sounds better than Christella… she annoyed me." Riza couldn't help but smile.

"Sarah--" Roy started but Riza put her hand on his shoulder and shook her head.

"We're just friends dear…" Riza said with a smile.

"Oh…. But if ever you want him to be your boyfriend…" Sarah said in a singsong voice "Go ahead…. You two are perfect!"

"You're a really smart girl." Riza complemented and Sarah beamed.

"Alright that's enough. Mother, I'll bring Riza to the guestroom first so we can also get ready to do the project."

"Of course. Isabelle can help you with that. Won't you dear?" Cameron asked Isabelle, who smiled.

"Of course! I'd love to." Isabelle said, standing up.

"Roy, remember that we have lunch at 12:15 sharp." His father reminded.

"Of course dad, we'll just be in the house." Roy replied.

"Good. I'll be in my office." James stood up and gave Cameron a peck on the cheek before leaving, a newspaper tucked under his arm.

"I'll be in my room reviewing some case papers." Colleen said, standing up. "I'll see you mom. Roy, enjoy your day."

"Looks like we should get going. See you later mom." Roy said, grabbing hold of Riza's hand and leading her out of the door.

"You enjoy yourselves dears." Cameron said, sipping from her cup of coffee. Roy and Riza left, followed by Isabelle.

"Since when did you want to help? The last time you did, you were grumpy when we asked you to." Roy asked Isabelle as they went up the stairs to the guest room.

"Well, well, I'm nice! Seriously. Anyways, you go do the planning, I'll be in my room reading up on stuff. Hey, Riza… if you want to borrow some of my clothes, no problem! There's a lot here!"

"Later Isabelle." Roy said leading Riza to the guest room.

--

"Make yourself comfy alright. So… what do you wanna do first? The couple shots, your solo shots or mine?" Roy asked as Riza sat on the bed. Her bags were already there, and the room was prepared for her.

"You decide… maybe we can do one solo pic for each of us, then we can finish the two couple pictures." Riza suggested.

"Hmmm…" Roy thought as he sat down on the chair. "That might just work. And in time for lunch. Dad doesn't like it if we're late for lunch…"

"You were late for breakfast. "Riza pointed out.

"Nah, that's excusable." Roy said lightly. "Besides, they seem to like having you here." He said with a soft smile. "Decide on your first post. I'll just get my laptop." Roy said as he stood up to leave.

"Alright then." Riza said and Roy left her alone.

--

"Maybe I could start by taking a picture which would show my love of books? I love reading…" Riza was telling Roy her ideas later on when he had returned.

"Brilliant, the library's free. You can sit there… there's a couch there too. And a lot of books." Roy exclaimed.

"Thanks… what about you?" Riza asked, smiling.

"I'll start with my love for music then. By the loyal piano." Roy replied.

"How old were you when you started playing?" Riza asked, curious.

"Around three years old. All of us know how to play an instrument… grandmamma wanted us to know at least one instrument."

"One?" Riza asked again.

"I play a bit of the guitar and a tiny bit of the violin. I started the violin, but stuck to playing the piano." Roy answered.

"I see…" Riza said. "So… do we start now?"

"Yeah sure. Perfect timing. It's eight. I'll go get Isabelle. You go dress up. You'll find me in my room or in hers. Go down the hall, past the stairs, and you'll spot my room… we all have nameplates on them." Roy said.

"Thanks Roy." Riza said and he left once more. She opened her bag and pulled out a pair of white jeans, a long sleeved white blouse and a blue vest. She loved these clothes. Her father personally bought it for her before he died. She quickly dressed up, got her laptop and then went to look for Roy. She first checked Isabelle's room, which was the closest to the guest room.

"Hi, sorry to bother you Isabelle." Riza said after knocking and opening the door.

"No worries! You ready? Come here, lemme check the outfit." Isabelle was sitting on her computer chair, her laptop on.

"No, there's no need… I was just looking for Roy." Riza said, a bit shy.

"Oh come on, I don't bite. I just wanna see the outfit!" Isabelle pleaded. Riza had to give in to her request.

"Oh well… fine." She stepped in the room.

"Nice… beautiful vest. It goes well with your sandals… pretty shade of brown. Suggestion, keep your hair down. Here, I'll let you borrow a hair band and you can use it." Isabelle said leaning over and grabbing a white hair band from her desk. She handed that to Riza who wore it.

"You can check yourself in the mirror. It looks lovely." Isabelle said pointing to the full length mirror. Riza went and stood in front of the mirror. It did look lovely. She had to agree.

"Well then, let's go search for my dear brother." Isabelle said, standing up and stretching before grabbing her camera. She opened the door and allowed Riza to exit first. She then led her to the room which bore the nameplate: ROY. Isabelle, without knocking opened the door. Riza just stood in the hallway, which was a good decision since a shout rang out from the room.

"ISABELLE. WHY DIDN'T YOU KNOCK?!" came Roy's angry shout.

"Whoops, sorry. Next time put your DND sign or something." Isabelle said sarcastically. "Besides, you're just not wearing your shirt. And you always boast of your 'muscles'" She said sneering. 

"OUT. OUT ISABELLE. I can't believe you said that in front of Riza!" He shouted back.

"Well, well… fine. We'll wait in the hall." Isabelle said and slammed the door. She turned to Riza who just smiled, unsure of what she should do.

"Random outburst courtesy of my favorite brother…" Isabelle said, half joking.

"Your favorite brother?"

"Yeah… although he's a good five years younger than I am, we're pretty close."

"So that makes you twenty one?" Riza asked.

"Yup. Got accelerated a lot so I skipped a lot of levels in school." She told Riza smiling. Before Riza could reply, the door of Roy's room swung open and out came Roy, looking very annoyed.

"Don't ever do that again. So rude." Roy said stepping out. He was wearing black pants and a white polo shirt.

"Geez Roy… fix your hair." Isabelle scolded.

"I like it that way." Roy retorted. "Come on we're wasting time. Let's go to the library first. Then to the den."

"Fine, fine…" Isabelle said shrugging it off.

"Riza, follow me." Roy said, taking hold of Riza's hand again leading her down the stairs and through the halls. They stopped in front of two large doors.

"Here we are." Roy said. "The family library… so many titles in there. Some are for dad's work. Colleen uses those sometimes. Some of them are medicine books, for mom and Isabelle. Some are classic stories . you get the idea."

"That sounds lovely. I've never had so many books in my life." Riza said.

"Welcome to the Mustang family library." Roy said opening the doors. Riza was amazed by what she saw. There were computers, and tables with lamps for reading and working. There was the comfy couch Roy was talking about. But the thing that made her happy was the number of books inside the room.

"Wow… grand entrance, Roy." Isabelle said sarcastically with a smirk.

"Shush." Roy said sternly. "Go ahead… pick a title." He told Riza.

"You have… A Little Princess?" Riza asked shyly, stepping into the room.

"Of course. One of Colleen's favorite books." Roy said, smiling. "Is it yours?"

"Yes… my mother gave me a copy of that book when she was still living. But I was far too young to understand some of the words, so she'd relay it to me in simpler terms." Riza explained.

"I see… Have a seat on the couch. Get comfy, I'll retrieve the book." Roy said, before heading off to one of the shelves to look for the book. Riza sat down on the couch and Isabelle sat down beside her.

"Comfy enough?" Isabelle asked.

"Like you wouldn't know. I love it here." Riza said smiling.

"You love books so much… You can borrow some of them, you know. Mom and dad wouldn't mind."

"No, I can't…." She said.

"Go on. You can take home A Little Princess so you can read it." Isabelle said grinning, fiddling with her camera.

"It's Colleen's favorite book." Riza contested.

"Colleen's not going to miss it. She's far too busy." Isabelle assured.

"Well… if that's the case… I'll read it here tonight. I'm a fast reader." Riza said.

"No need to hurry, dear." Isabelle said smiling.

"Hey I've got it!" Roy said coming from one of the shelves. "Here, Riza… A Little Princess." He said, handing her the book. Riza ran her hand against the copy of the book.

"So… how do you want the shot to look like?" Isabelle asked.

"I want to look like I'm reading the book." Riza replied.

"Good enough. Isabelle get off." Roy commanded.

"Easy, Roy. I'm getting off." Isabelle grumbled before standing. "There."

"You can recline, Riza… that's gonna make it look like you read also to pass the time."

"Good idea Roy. Thanks." Riza said, reclining a bit.

"Here, lemme fix the pillow." Roy offered, fixing the throw pillow, so that Riza's head could rest on it. Then Riza turned to the first page of the book.

"Alright. Beautiful." Roy said stepping back, standing beside Isabelle who readied her camera.

"What's beautiful, Roy? The shot… or her?" Isabelle whispered mischievously.

"Whaa? The shot of course!" Roy stammered, a little too loud.

"What's that?" Riza asked.

"Nothing. Isabelle's about to shoot." Roy covered up his blunder.

"Ready. One… two… three." And Isabelle captured the shot. And then she checked on the shot. "Alright. Perfect." Isabelle said with a smile. Riza relaxed and closed the book.

"Alright, Roy… it's your turn!" Riza said cheerfully.

"Fine… to the den." Roy said with a sigh.

--

Roy's shot took pretty long. Isabelle kept interrupting and commenting how he looked stupid posing.

"What is it with you and insulting me?" Roy snarled.

"Well, it's just because I love you, Roy." Isabelle said, with an evil grin. "Now freeze so I can take the shot. It's past nine." Roy just had to obey his older sister.

"Wait one more!!" Isabelle shouted. "Freeze again."

"What's that for?? I only need one shot."

"Stop muttering. It's a secret." Isabelle said with a sly grin.

"Fine." Roy froze again, his hands on the keys.

"Beautiful." Isabelle said. "All done. What's next?"

"Well, we decided to do the group pictures first. Since there's only two. And we want to take advantage of the clear skies." Roy explained.

"Well, what was the first shot you had in mind?" Isabelle asked, arms crossed.

"Erm… we really haven't decided, 'Belle." Roy answered.

"Ay. You should talk first then. I'll go get iced tea for all of us." Isabelle decided. "Go on, you talk!"

"So… what did you have in mind?" Roy asked.

"Well… remember one of our first projects?" Riza said, sitting beside him on the piano.

"Which? The first photoshoot, or the musical?" Roy asked, playing a little tune on the piano.

"The musical… our practice. Remember that it was so beautiful?" Riza said with a soft smile.

"Yes… I do. You and I both love the music of the musicals… but I think this is better."

"What's better?" Riza asked.

"You sitting beside me here on the piano." He said with his signature smirk.

"Well. That's lovely. That's fine with me." Riza agreed.

"SO! I'm back. What's the plan?" Isabelle said carrying a tray with three glasses filled with iced tea.

"This shot is perfect." Riza said.

"Wait…" Isabelle put down the tray on the table and looked at the two. Her face lit up with what she saw.

"BEAUTIFUL. You have gotta love these picture shoots." Isabelle said with a grin. "After this, let's take a break, shall we? Now freeze and smile."

--

They took a well deserved break before worrying about the last couple shot. Roy and Riza had changed into their outside clothes first (casual, picnic like clothes) before heading outside. The three went out to the pool to relax under the sun.

"So… what's the next shot? The sun's shining pretty bright." Isabelle noted.

"Yeah I know. We'll sit down first, then decide." Roy said

"Fine… Riza, go sit beside him so you guys can talk." Isabelle said, before she started tinkering with her camera.

"So… what do you want to do?" Roy asked.

"I'm out of ideas. We've done a lot of shots out here for the first project." Riza pointed out.

"Yeah I know… that's a problem." Roy said, slipping his shades out of his pocket and wearing them.

Minutes passed, still no idea.

"WAIT! I'VE GOT IT." Isabelle suddenly shouted, startling the two who were talking.

"What is it now, Isabelle?" Roy asked annoyed that they were disturbed.

"Whoops… It's nothing! I'll be right back. Just keep on talking, and just chill." Isabelle said grinning before running quickly back into the house.

"HEY GET BACK HERE! You're hiding something!" Roy shouted, but Isabelle was gone.

"She's a bizarre one isn't she?" Riza said as Roy sat back down.

"Forgive her… she can be such a child sometimes. Even Sarah may be so mature at times." Roy explained.

"Well… I wish I had a sister like her." Riza honestly said. This took Roy by surprise.

"Why… why would you say that?" Roy stammered.

"Well. You do know I don't have siblings. And my mom died when I was six… and my dad was usually out of the house… I never experienced the warmth of a family in a very long time. Beatrice is family alright, but not one I feel the warmth with." Riza admitted sadly.

"Hey. Don't say that… your parents love you so much."

"I know. It's just difficult to admit that they're both gone. I never got to do a lot with them…"

"Your extended family loves you as well."

"My grandpa does… I don't know about the rest of them. I mean, they didn't want my mother to marry my father in the first place. My grandpa told me that." Riza replied.

"If it's going to make you feel so much better… you can always call this house a home, and my family as yours. They love having you…" Roy said with a gentle tone and smile. Riza couldn't help but be touched by Roy's sincerity and gentleness.

"That would make any girl happy." Riza said smiling back.

"That's great." Roy said, hugging her. Riza just had to hug back in happiness.

"So, it's a deal then?" Roy asked.

"Of course. If you must know… a great amount of sadness has been removed from my heart." Riza replied.

"Hey… it's great that you cheer up. Now, let's get back to thinking…" Roy said.

"Wait hold on, Isabelle's back." Riza said, as Isabelle came running out.

"Hey!" Isabelle shouted. "Roy, ROY! Come with me!" Isabelle excitedly said, tugging on Roy's arm.

"What is it?" Roy lazily asked.

"Just come with me!" Isabelle said managing to pull her brother up on his feet and drag him by the pool. Roy was helpless and just mouthed 'help' to Riza, who giggled softly before getting on her feet to follow the two.

"What is it? EXPLAIN?" Roy told his sister. Isabelle grinned widely.

"Look over there." Isabelle said simply, pointing to the tree. Roy took a good look at the tree and so did Riza.

"So? It's the tree." Roy replied, annoyed.

"Oh well…" Isabelle muttered. Neither Roy nor Riza expected the next thing that happened. Isabelle gave a great push and made Roy lose his balance. He tried to regain his composure by grabbing on the nearest thing: Riza's hand. But he failed, and fell into the pool, dragging Riza in with him.

It took a few seconds for the two to get back up on the surface. When they did, both were coughing and sputtering.

"Oh my god. RIZA ARE YOU OKAY?" was the first thing that came out of Roy's mouth. He put his hand on Riza's shoulders, checking if she had any cuts or injuries.

"I'm fine… I'm fine Roy, thanks." Riza said, trying to keep afloat.

"That's… great." Roy was relieved, and smiled a bit. Riza just smiled.

"ISABELLE LAUREN MUSTANG. YOU ARE SO GONNA PAY." Roy shouted.

"Hey! Riza you okay! That was unexpected, so sorry!" Isabelle shouted out from the pool side.

"Yeah! I'm okay." Riza replied.

"You could have killed me or Riza!" Roy shouted again. Isabelle just smiled. "wait 'til I get my hands on you!" Roy said as he started swimming to the ladder. Riza followed behind him. When they both got out, dripping wet, Roy quickly made his way, without running to his sister. But before he or Riza could get there, Sarah ran out from the bushes and handed Isabelle the camera.

"There you go 'Belle! You owe me!" Sarah said before running off.

"What the hell was that?!" Roy shouted as he approached his sister.

"Here. Just take a look. I'll get you two some towels. Wanna go for a dip, Riza?" Isabelle asked with a wink.

"Sure!" Riza gamely said.

"Hold it! You could have just asked me to jump in!" Roy exclaimed, holding the camera, but not looking at it.

"I knew you'd never do that." Isabelle said. "Just look at it. I'll be back." Isabelle left the two. Roy sat down on one of the lounge chairs and Riza sat down beside him, squeezing water out of her hair.

"Darn it, my shades are in the pool. I'll get them later." Roy said, annoyed as he looked for the picture. When they both found it, they stared at the picture.

It was a shot when the two of them were smiling in the pool after the fall. It was priceless.

--

**Yes, and I end there. :D So that's it. I promised fluff, and this is all I could give for now, but there will be more. Please, review… I appreciate it. (Plus I have something to read!) To those who love the story, thank you so much…. Hopefully, I'll finish this soon!**

**Review please, and I'll be back for 17! :D **


	17. Dreams Fulfilled

**Hello guys! I AM BACK. I must apologize for the long wait. I have been rather occupied since I was adjusting to college life, HAHA. But now, I bring you chapter 17 of HS Life. :D **

**Hopefully, you guys review this one too. I love reading them! I'll keep it short so that you can get to reading. Thankies! **

**--**

**CHAPTER 17: Dreams Fulfilled**

It was night time, and Riza was just getting ready for bed. She turned on the small lamp that Roy gave her for her night reading. She got the book Roy had lent her from the bedside table. Her finger traced the golden, embossed letters spelling out 'A Little Princess'. She smiled, remembering fond memories. She was about to read the book before she could do so, someone had knocked on her door.

"Hey, Riza…" A voice called out. Riza smiled as she recognized the voice as Roy's. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah sure, come in, Roy." Riza called out. The door slowly opened, as if Roy was hesitating.

"Seriously, it's okay to come in, Roy." Riza called out with a smile. That seemed to assure him and Roy came into the room. He was already wearing his clothes for sleeping which composed with a plain shirt and loose, blue pants.

"How are you doing?" He asked, slightly shuffling his feet.

"Fine… thanks. But you're asking me like I was sick or something." Riza replied. "Come sit here on the bed." She asked him. Roy obliged and sat at the foot of her bed.

"You ready for Saturday?" He asked her.

"You mean the report cards… of course I am. Why do you ask?" She replied, turning the cover of the book to start reading.

"Nothing much… how about Sunday? We leave for Crystal Springs then…" Roy said, bringing up the topic of the training.

"I haven't been inducted yet, Roy." Riza said with a small laugh, not looking up from the book. "But Crystal Springs…"

"You come from there, don't you?" Roy softly asked. Riza looked up and looked into his eyes.

"Yes I do…"

"You're worried?"

"Not really. It's just that I miss home. You know, being at my house, with my parents… but that will never be." Riza said sadly.

"So… we're going to your school right?"

"Yes, Mr. I-can-read-your-mind." Riza joked.

"I was not reading your mind… I was reading your--"

"My expressions… yes, you do seem to have the talent for that, don't you Roy?" This time it was Roy who laughed.

"That's nothing… but… are you nervous on seeing your friends there again?" he asked once more. Riza paused for a while, reading her book.

"Yes and no… nervous because I don't know what has transpired ever since I left. I never really had any contact with them." She said, lying about her phone conversation with Michael, a friend of hers, a few months back. "No because they're my friends, and I expect them to accept me even if I left as they are my friends. If not, then I won't hesitate to cut all ties permanently." She finished.

"That's your perception of friendship?" He asked.

"Why, is anything wrong with it?" She replied simply, looking up from the book, an eyebrow raised.

"No, no… that's not what I meant. It's just that… that's the same way I think of friends. Yeah, they're around you to support you, and all, but if they don't accept you because of little things like that… then I don't think they're friends at all." He replied.

"How did you meet Maes?" Riza asked, closing the book.

"You're not going to finish reading?" Roy asked, changing the subject.

"Well, I can't really read if we're talking, and don't change the subject." She said with a small, sly smile. He sighed.

"You got me. Okay. Well, Maes and I have known each other since we were in grade school… on the council there."

"So even back then you displayed your fantastic leadership skills...." Riza said, slightly emphasizing the word 'fantastic'. Roy just laughed.

"Well, if you put it that way. I was my batch's representative, and he was his batch's representative."

"And it didn't bother you that your friend was a year older?"

"Of course not. Maes is even more dependable than most of my batch mates…. I said most, not all." Roy answered, making clear what he said. "He's also like an older brother to me… All I have are older sisters, and he? Well… he has a younger sister. But, he's supported me, given me advice and all… and so did I."

"Maes is such a happy, amusing person… he was the first student I met at Fountain, and he was bubbly as ever."

"Yeah… he's charismatic too…" Both were silent for a few minutes until Roy broke it by asking "How about you? Who was your best friend when you were studying at Crystal Springs?"

"Well…" Riza took in a deep breath. "Back at Green Grove, I had two best friends… one was Camilla Senra-Silva, and the other was Michael Thompson. Michael and I were both active in the student council there…"

"So… even back then you were in the students' council?" Roy asked.

"Yes… actually, if I didn't leave, I would've been the representative of our batch. The same position I hold now… That was one of the reasons I didn't want to leave. But in the end I had to."

"You never told anyone this?" he asked.

"Of course I never told anyone… I didn't want to think about it when I first transferred here. But now, I feel more comfortable talking about it, especially since I'll be going back there anyway."

"Green Grove… how is it as a school?" Roy asked.

"Well… it's just a high school like Fountain, and each level has only six rooms… unlike here where there are nine or so. And each class has at most thirty students. So it's a pretty small school with a lot of facilities."

"I see… and what do you guys usually do when you have guests?" Roy asked.

"Is this in preparation for the exchange?" Riza asked.

"Well… yeah. Maybe. Sort of." Roy stuttered. Riza just laughed.

"Well, we had dances and social gatherings… but usually this was exclusive to the upperclassmen especially in the case of exchange programs like this. But don't worry about it. What's going to happen to the project?" Riza asked, quickly changing the subject.

"Uh… well, I just need your essay and the part on the couple essay, and I'll take care of the rest. I'm going to take a while on my writing… But I'll make sure that it'll be with Ms. Hale even before the deadline."

"Oh… alright then." Riza said. "Would you like me to type it up first or --"

"No, it's alright. If you have it written, you can give it to me." Roy said with a smile. Riza seemed convinced and nodded.

"Alright then… here, I'm done with mine. I had enough time to write it during my free time here." Riza said, getting several pieces of paper on the night table and handed it to Roy. Roy looked down at the papers and saw the neat, cursive handwriting.

"That… was quick." Roy said.

"I don't like procrastinating… anyway. You can correct it if you want."

"I guess with your skills, I don't need to do any of that." Roy complemented.

"You're too kind. By the way, do I need to do anything for the induction besides memorize the oath and the acceptance speech?" Riza asked as Roy looked through the papers.

"Mm… maybe, if you can, get something for Sophia? It's been tradition that outgoing officers gave something, like a token to the incoming officers, and the same would go for the incoming officers… but it's not really required… it's just tradition."

"It's not required but it's tradition?" Riza said, eyebrow raised again. Roy noticed the contradiction in his statement and laughed at it.

"It's up to you… if you want, you can come with us to the mall tomorrow, and I can drop you off after at your house." Roy offered.

"I don't think I can accept… you've done so much for me already. You and your family."

"Nah, don't mind it. I'll tell mom tonight. Just come along."

"Well…"

"Alright, I'm not asking you, I'm making you come… like it's an order." Roy said with his smirk as he stood up.

"My, my Roy Mustang… you order people around?"

"No… But, I know it'll do you well. Good night…" Roy said as he smiled and left the room. Riza couldn't help but smile.

--

The next day, Riza had gotten up early and went on to read the book as she waited for the rest of the Mustang household to get up. When the call for breakfast was made, they all went down and had breakfast. Roy told her that they would be going to the mall at the first hour so that it would be easy for them to finish everything.

"Do you have a gift in mind for Sophia?" Roy asked as the two went up to their rooms.

"I don't know… a jacket maybe?" Riza suggested. "Or a book even."

"Hmmm… I think the jacket would be nice. Maybe you can have it personalized?"

"Yeah, I was thinking of that. Is there a store in the mall that does that?"

"I know just the place." Roy said with a wink before Riza went into her room.

--

"Alright, we'll split up first so we can do all we need to do." James told his family plus Riza.

"I'll go with Riza." Roy said. His parents nodded.

"I'll be at the bookstore with your brother. Your father will be taking care of business here. Colleen? Where will you be?" Cameron asked her eldest.

"I promised Sarah that I'll take her clothes shopping." Cameron nodded before turning to Isabelle.

"Isabelle?"

"I'll go with Roy and Riza." She simply said with a grin. Roy opened his mouth to complain, but one look from Colleen shut him up.

"Alright then dear. Just send me a text message if you're going to meet up with us already." Cameron told her children. With a nod from each of the children, they each went of on their separate ways. Isabelle happily tagged along behind Roy and Riza.

"Honestly, Isabelle… why go with us?" Roy asked his sister, slightly annoyed.

"Is there a problem?" Isabelle asked.

"No but--"

"Then, there's no reason for me not to tag along. Right Riza?" Isabelle asked, turning to Riza.

"Well, I don't mind at all. It's alright Roy. I'm just going to pick the jacket and have it personalized." Riza said. Roy just sighed.

"Alright then." Roy gave in.

"Where is this store you told me about, Roy?" Riza asked, looking through her small bag.

"Oh, on the second floor. The store's called Lilac's. They personalize a lot of stuff."

"Alright. Isabelle, are you sure you don't need to do anything?" Riza said before turning to Isabelle.

"Well… you can do what you need first, and then while waiting, you guys can go with me to the music store, and the shoe store, and the--" Isabelle said ticking things off her imaginary list.

"Isabelle, we don't have the luxury of time." Roy cut in.

"Oh hush Roy." Isabelle scolded as they went up on the escalator.

"Honestly, you're acting like such a kid." Roy complained as they walked towards a large store displaying dummies with custom made dresses. The pink sign clearly said 'Lilac's'. The store attendants greeted the three as they entered. They went immediately to the customization counter.

"Good morning, I'm Lisa. How may I help you?" Greeted a short, brown headed girl with green eyes.

"Yes, um, I'd like to have a jacket customized." Riza said.

"Do you have a jacket, or would you like to select from the jackets we have on hand?"

"I'll select from the jackets you have." Riza said.

"Do you have a design in mind? Or a name to write on it?"

"Yes, I do." Riza replied. Roy and Isabelle had gone off to explore the store.

"The preferred color of the jacket?" Riza paused. She didn't know what color Sophia would like.

"Um… I'm not sure… it's a gift actually."

"For a girl or a boy?" Lisa inquired.

"A girl. But I don't think she'd like a pink jacket or anything too bright." Riza answered.

"Then, you can choose the neutral colors like black."

"Can I see a sample of the jacket?" Riza asked.

"One moment. Please look through these books for the font you want for the name." Lisa said as she handed Riza several clear books full of sample texts and fonts. Riza looked through each and selected red and white large, block letters. Lisa soon after returned with a sample of the jacket. Riza felt the texture of the jacket and looked for any snags or stains.

"Alright I'll take this jacket." Riza said after she was satisfied. "And this is the font I want."

"Alright ma'am. Can you please right down the name here?" Lisa said, giving Riza a slip of paper and a pen. Riza took it and wrote in clear print: Sophia Davies before giving the slip back to Lisa.

"Alright ma'am. Your jacket will be ready in an hour and a half. Please give this slip and pay at the counter." Lisa said handing Riza a piece of paper and directing her to a counter.

"Good morning, I'm Greta." Another girl greeted at the counter. Riza gave the paper with a smile. Greta punched something.

"Alright, your total amount to be paid is 600." Riza pulled out some bills from her bag and handed it to Greta. She finished the transaction and gave the receipt and the piece of paper, now stamped with the word 'paid', back to Riza.

"Please present the paper when you claim the item you purchased. Thank you for shopping at Lilac's. Have a nice day."

"Thank you." Riza said as she turned to leave. Roy and Isabelle met her as she exited the counter.

"You all done?" Roy asked.

"Yeah… I'll come back for it in one and a half hours." Riza answered.

"Yay! Now we can go to my stores!" Isabelle said enthusiastically.

"Act your age! You're supposed to be a doctor, but you're acting like a child!" Roy exclaimed.

"Well excuse me, Roy Christopher Mustang." Isabelle said as they left the store. "Nobody said doctors can't have fun."

--

"Riza, you want yogurt or something?" Roy said as they exited the show store. Isabelle followed the two, carrying at least six paper bags. Isabelle overheard Roy's offer and sniggered. Roy turned around and glared at his sister.

"Anything wrong Isabelle/" Roy said. Isabelle went up to her brother and whispered.

"How touching. Yogurt." Isabelle said with a small smile. It was almost noon and they still had time to kill before they went to meet up with the rest of the Mustang family.

"Hey Roy… would you mind if I went back to the store? I'll go and get the jacket I bought." Riza said, turning to Roy.

"Oh, okay, you want me to come along?" Roy offered, clenching his fists so that he won't be forced by Isabelle to carry the bags.

"No it's alright. I'll be quick."

"Okay… well, I'll just meet you there at Lilac's." Roy said. Riza nodded and went off to the store.

--

Riza checked the jacket for any snags and stains once more, and once she was satisfied, Lisa put it in the box it came with. As she exited the store, Roy was seated on the bench facing the store. When he saw that she came out, he approached her, carrying a cup filled with frozen yogurt.

"Hope you like it with strawberries." Roy said handing Riza her cup and taking the bag containing her purchase from her.

"Thanks." Riza said taking the cup. "There's really no need to help me carry the bag Roy."

"I insist. Come, sit down here first. You finish eating that and then we'll go meet up with my parents." He said leading her to the benches where Isa belle sat.

"Real smooth, Roy… I ask you to carry my bags and you refuse. And now when it's --"

"Riza's a guest, and it's just proper." Roy said cutting his sister off. "Thanks for holding my yogurt." Roy said, taking back his cup, filled with blueberries.

"So, Riza, how's you like staying over at our house?" Isabelle asked leaning forward to talk to her directly.

"I had a wonderful time. Thanks for making my stay real nice."

"You can always come back. Maybe next time, we'd have more time to hang out." Isabelle said with a grin.

"Don't you have exams to study for?" Roy asked annoyed.

"For your information, I haven't failed a single exam even if I didn't study." Isabelle retorted.

"Well, that doesn't mean you do everything right." Roy replied helping himself with a spoonful of yogurt.

"Haha, let's see who gets higher grades Mr. I-think-I'm-smarter-than-my-older-sister."

"300 bucks says I'll get no grade lower than 94." Roy bet.

"Is that a challenge Roy Christopher Mustang?" Isabelle asked, eyebrow raised before finishing the last of her yogurt. Riza just sat there, eating her yogurt, watching the two siblings argue in a nice way.

"Well, maybe it is… but you might be too scared to give up 300 bucks because I'm smarter than you and you know it."

"I'm not scared Mr. Know-it-All. If you want, I'll raise it to 500."

"DEAL!" Roy said shaking his sister's hand, a huge grin on his face. All of a sudden, Isabelle's phone rang and she took the call.

"That was Colleen. They want us to go over to The Steak Place. They're waiting already." Isabelle said after hanging up.

"Alrighty." Roy said as he stood up. He got Riza's bag and went over to the trashcan to throw his empty cup before following the two girls to the restaurant.

--

"Thank you so much for having me over, Mr. and Mrs. Mustang." Riza said as she got off the family van. Roy got off as well, as Colleen made him make sure that she'd be okay.

"Well, it's a pleasure having you over! You can always give Roy a call and ask for help. It's alright, you've been such a dear. You take care alright?" Cameron called out from the window. Riza could see Sarah and Isabelle waving from the back. Riza smiled and waved back.

"Roy, you go make sure she's okay." James told his son. Roy nodded and placed his arm around Riza. He was still carrying the stuff Riza bought at the mall.

"I won't take long." Roy said.

"Thank you so much for your hospitality." Riza said as she turned and went to open her front door.

"Roy thanks so much for everything you've done. Um… the project…"

"Don't worry about it. You've done your part, I'll take care of the rest." Roy assured her. She opened the door and stepped into the house.

"You sure you'd be okay? Beatrice isn't there?"

"Nah, she's probably at work. See you tomorrow, Roy."

"We'll have induction practice tomorrow, Hughes texted me awhile ago." Riza nodded in reply.

"Thanks again."Riza said as she closed the door. After a few moments of standing outside her doorstep, he turned and boarded the family car and they went home.

--

That night, he was going over the essays for their project. He pulled out the papers that Riza wrote her draft on. Her handwriting was neat and cursive, and the sentences well-structured. Roy read the first paragraph on the first page.

'_It has been difficult adjusting at a new school, in a new environment, especially after suffering heavy losses. But the friends I've gained have helped me through it, and now I feel much more at home here. And one of the people who have made me feel welcome is Roy. He is such a devoted leader, a smart guy, a good student, and a real gentleman. He is one of the few people that made me feel really special. If he were a gemstone, he'd be one of the rarest and such a good find, as I've never met a guy like him in my life…'_

Roy couldn't help but smile.

--

**WOO! Done! Now, please review… I really appreciate them a lot! And, it might take the next few chapters a while, especially since my midterms are coming up and they're one after the other. If you have any comments, suggestions, violent reactions (I'm starting to sound like a teacher), then just post a review for me to read. ******

**Thanks so much! **


	18. A Newfound Responsibility

**Hey guys! Thanks so much for the beautiful reviews that I got for chapter 17. I enjoyed reading it and it cheered me up a lot. :D So, starting this chapter, I will give my thanks to those who reviewed by posting their IDs as well. **

**So to: Dragonridingattorney43, ..lily.., little miss clueless, Mustang, Athena's Heart, thank you so much! Your reviews are greatly appreciated. Also, I'd like to thank (and dedicate) this chapter to my friend, Francis, who got me into writing again. :))**

**So now, onto chapter 18: A Newfound Responsibility.**

--

**CHAPTER 18: A Newfound Responsibility**

"Settle down. We have a lot of very important reminders." Ms. Ramirez said as she entered the room that Tuesday morning.

"As you know, the report cards are going to be given this Saturday, and I will give you the letters after I dish out all of the reminders. The second reminder is that I will not be in class next week as I will be accompanying the student council to an exchange and leadership training in Green Grove High in Crystal Springs. I will leave all the work you need to do while I'm gone. Ms. Montgomery, please see me after this period, I will give you all the reminders regarding your academics. Lastly, and I want ALL OF YOU to pay attention." She said, raising her voice a bit near the end as she saw Rose and Joseph chatting.

"Thank you. Now, last week, Sophia Davies, your batch representative, resigned as she will be leaving the school for family reasons…" As she said this, Christella's face was a mixture of surprise and glee.

"Now, I have to explain how the administration and the faculty found the replacement for her. As stated in the students' handbook and the student council code, there are basically 2 ways of choosing a replacement for any position that has been vacated due to a resignation. The first being the administration and the faculty concerned will form a committee that will scrutinize each possible candidate. Those candidates come from the elected class representatives, and selected students. A lot of background check is done, no stones are left unturned. If the committee fails to pick a candidate from any of those people, then the one who lost in the election will assume the vacated post. In the case of Sophia, the committee deliberated and immediately found a replacement from the class representatives." Ms. Ramirez paused and the class fell silent.

"And the choice made by the administrators and the faculty, your new batch representative is… Riza Hawkeye." Heads turned and faced Riza, most very happy with the decision. Christella looked very disappointed, as did her group of friends. Riza stood up and acknowledged her classmates before joining Ms. Ramirez at the front.

"Riza will have her induction tomorrow, and you will be there to witness it, contrary to the earlier decision to only have the faculty and administration witness it. Now, as Riza assumes that post, the position of class representative will be vacated. In this case, your discipline chair, Christella Curtis will assume the post. Therefore, the officers will move one post up, leaving only the property custodian's post to be filled. Now, I decided to consult your teachers, and I am going to fill up that slot with Andrea Cooper. Outgoing PC, please brief her with the rules. And, officers, I expect that you continue exceeding expectations." She said as she turned to leave.

"Oh, Ms. Curtis, the letters." She said turning back and handing the letters to her. "Take care of giving it out and coordinate with the secretary in collecting it. I want reply slips back on or before Friday."

"Yes ma'am." Christella said, taking the letters as Ms. Ramirez left the room.

"Here, Ms. Representative." Christella said as the door closed, shoving a letter into Riza's hands. "Enjoy your term." She said in a very mean tone.

"Thanks, Christella, I shall. You enjoy yours." Riza said with a small smile, as she walked past Christella and back to her seat.

--

After lunchtime, Riza and Roy were both pulled out from class, as were the other council members. They were going to have a run through of the entire ceremony.

"Riza, can you come over here for a moment and run your oath through me?" Ms. Ramirez called out from the auditorium stage. Riza immediately went up to the stage and pulled out the copy of her oath.

"Just read it. I don't want to go through the reply things anymore." Ms. Ramirez said with a small grin. Riza nodded before reading the oath.

"I, Riza Christianna Hawkeye, third year batch representative, do solemnly swear, to fulfill all the duties and responsibilities of this office, and to uphold the rules and regulation that govern the student body of this school. So help me God."

"Alright. You're ready. How about your acceptance speech?"

"Almost ready."

"Great. Tomorrow, give me a copy of that, and sleep well tonight, Ms. Hawkeye. You can go take your seat. Sophia, can I talk to you for a moment?" she called out to Sophia as Riza turned on her heel and went down the stage.

"Well, well… how's life treating you now that you're batch rep?" Hughes greeted her as she sat down on one of the chairs.

"It's all fine, really…" she replied. "I do appreciate the warm welcome you guys gave me."

"Hey, you're a member of the family now!" Hughes said, sitting beside her. "Besides… I've never seen Roy this happy in a long time." He said, his voice soft, as he turned to her.

"What… I… I never really did anything." Riza said, looking at Roy who was standing on the stage. Hughes looked there as well.

"The fact you became one of his close female friends in a span of a few months is amazing… and with you as his friend, he's happier."

"But you're his best friend… I was a complete stranger months back."

"Not anymore…" Hughes said in a sing-song voice. Riza just smiled.

"What's this?" Roy said as he went towards them. Ed followed closely behind him.

"A heart to heart talk, what else?" Ed joked. Roy sat down beside Riza, while Ed headed to the row behind them and hovered over them.

"How was the sleep-over by the way, Mustang? Probably seemed more like a date than a sleep over for a project." Ed asked.

"Then that means you owe me lunch, Edward." Hughes said with a grin.

"I ALWAYS END UP BEING ON THE LOSING SIDE OF A BET!" Ed shouted.

"Mr. Elric! KEEP YOUR VOICE DOWN!" Ms. Ramirez shouted from the stage.

"Eep! Yes ma'am. So sorry Ms. R!" Ed said as he cowered behind the chair. The other three just laughed.

"Yeah, go ahead and laugh!" Ed ranted.

"Her easy there. Your temper's so short. We were just kidding." Roy said with a small shrug.

"Don't call me short, Mustang." Ed said with a twitch of the eyebrow.

"But I didn't call you short… I just said you had a short temper." Roy said calmly, choosing to ignore Ed's flaming temper.

"Why I'd oughta--"

"All right, that's enough horseplay. Can't you guys see there's a lady with us?" Hughes interrupted.

"Ah, yes, ever the gentleman, Maes?" Roy joked.

"As if. You're such a ladies' man, Roy. Anyways, you know where we're staying in Green Grove?" Riza and Roy both looked at him.

"Where?" Roy asked. Ed then went over and sat beside Hughes.

"They have this newly opened hotel like place there, inside the campus. It's gotta be great! And I'm hoping we get individual rooms… not unless, you want to stay with… ehem." Hughes hinted. Roy reached over and punched him.

"Pardon me, Riza." Roy apologized. Riza just smiled at the two friends. But in her heart, she was wondering if the same friends she had back home would still accept her despite leaving them.

--

That night Riza couldn't sleep well. She lay awake in bed, thinking of what lay ahead. She closed her eyes, and went back to the day she resigned from her council post in Green Grove.

_It was a warm day, the middle of summer. The council was so busy finishing preparations and planning activities for the coming year. After the meeting, Riza stayed behind._

"_Mr. Shaw, can I talk to you?" She asked her moderator. He obliged and asked her to sit. Hands slightly trembling, she pulled out a letter from her bag. Her eyes welled up with tears._

"_I'm leaving Green Grove sir." Her teacher didn't say anything. He was lost for words. Riza had suffered a lot that year. Being on the council removed some of her burden._

"_You're transferring?" he asked._

"_My aunt wishes I study somewhere else. She and my grandfather will be supporting me until I am ready and capable to live by myself." Riza said, wiping the tears from her eyes. Her teacher sighed._

"_This is hard on us as it is hard on you. You're a valuable gem here in Green Grove. It's unfortunate what happened to you. But seeing as there is nothing I can do, believe me if I can do anything, I would, then I am sad to see that you will leave." Her teacher said with a sad smile. "But Riza, do remember that the doors of Green Grove, especially that of the council, will always be open to you. Your are a part of our family. We will miss you. I wish you all the best."_

"_Thank you sir…" Riza said, tears slowly flowing from her eyes. "The succession to the post?" She asked._

"_Your post will be filled by Michael. But you've done so much…"_

Riza's eyes opened once more. She remembered what happened next. The council was of course, upset that she was leaving, and so were her friends. Michael had taken it badly, even if he was succeeding her. He refused to talk to her, even on the day before she left. On the day itself, he was looking for her, but she no longer wanted to bother him. Then a few weeks after starting in Fountain, he kept calling her, looking for her. Going back to Green Grove meant confronting Michael. She wasn't afraid. She was ready for it.

--

Before she left the house, Beatrice handed her the reply slip, and wished her luck for the day. She thanked her cousin, and went on her way. As soon as she got out, someone honked a horn. She looked at the car that stopped in front of her doorstep. One of the passenger windows was down. It was Roy.

"What are you doing here?" Riza said with a laugh. Roy got out of his car and went over to her.

"Nothing… just wanted to know if you need a lift to school?" He offered with a smile.

"You are so corny. But, since you offered, then I'll take it." Riza noted before agreeing, smiling as well.

"Hey, it's your big day!" Roy exclaimed as they made their way to the car. Riza said nothing. He opened the door for her and Riza went in first and Roy followed.

"School now, thanks." Roy instructed and they were off. "So… how are you feeling?" Roy asked.

"I'm not sick or anything Roy." Riza said with an eyebrow raised. "But, if you're talking about the induction, I'm fine."

"Something's on your mind." Roy interjected. Looking at her.

"Oh yeah, I forgot you could read expressions." Riza said with a laugh. But Roy remained serious.

"It's not about going back to your old school, is it?" He asked softly. Riza fell silent.

"Oh, I'm sorry… I shouldn't ask about that." Roy said, pretending to leaf through his world history book.

"No… it's alright." Riza said softly. "It's not about my school… it's about my friend, Michael."

"Ah… let me guess, he didn't like the idea of you leaving or something along that line?"

"It was more of me leaving. You see, he was so disappointed that I decided to follow my aunt's wishes and move here. I remember that we had a huge argument the night before I left." Riza sadly said.

"That's something stupid to be mad at." Roy commented.

"No Roy… I think what Michael meant that I was a strong person, and how could I let my aunt tell me what to do with my life? He was just disappointed. He wanted me to live my own life and make sure I'm happy."

"Hey, life isn't always a straight path. Sometimes you have to take an unexpected turn, but those turns will help you become a better person." Roy advised. Riza just smiled.

:You a councilor too?" Riza joked.

"Oh no, actually I want to be a lawyer or a politician." Roy replied, noting the joke and gave his signature smirk."

"You're going to be a veteran in politics since you had a lot of exposure in high school." Riza said.

"Haha, Noted." Roy said as they pulled up to the school. They both got off and thanked the driver, before going entering the school. They first went into the council office and stayed there until the ceremony began.

"Good morning!" Aurelia greeted the two cheerfully. "Riza! How do you feel? Are you fine? Did you eat?"

"Yes, thanks so much Aurelia." Riza said with a smile sitting down beside her.

"Let me fix your hair… maybe I can braid it or something." Aurelia said.

"Oh no, it's fine like this." Riza said, adjusting her ponytail.

"I don't think so. It's better if you let your hair down. I'll let you borrow a hair band. Don't worry, it follows the school regulation." Aurelia said before standing up to get her bag.

"Hey there people!" Ed greeted as he entered the door. "How's it going?"

"Quiet down, Elric. We can actually hear you fine without your screaming." Roy complained, looking up from his book.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. I'm-pretending-to-be-studying." Ed said sarcastically as he sat down. Riza just smiled.

"Riza, come with me… let's go to the bathroom." Aurelia said holding her make-up kit. Riza simply got up and followed her friend out the council office. They left both Ed and Roy inside the office. Silence filled the room and was broken only when Hughes came in.

"Hello there…" Hughes greeted. "I've been to the auditorium with Ms. Ramirez making sure everything will flow smoothly."

"That's great Hughes." Roy said, slightly bored.

"What's with that tone? The only time I heard that tone was when you were 'heartbroken'." Hughes said, making air quotes, his tone serious.

"It's nothing."

"I'm your best friend, Roy. And I know that that's not nothing. Lemme guess, Riza?" He guessed with a wink.

"Maybe." Roy muttered. Ed yawned really loud as he put his feet on the table.

"My, my… here we go with a heart-to heart talk." Ed said.

"Shut up, Ed, you have no idea what you're talking about." Roy snarled.

"Make me." Ed taunted.

"That's enough." Hughes intervened. "What's the problem anyway?"

"I think seeing her friend is worrying Riza." Roy said.

"Well, what does she have to worry about…" Hughes started.

"They had a huge argument, that's what's worrying her. Facing him again is worrying her." Roy interrupted.

"You didn't let me finish, Roy. I was going to say, what does she have to worry about… when she has you around?" Hughes said with a grin.

--

At around eight, the entire junior batch was assembled inside the auditorium. The council members were seated in front together with Ms. Ramirez. Sophia looked nervous and happy at the same time as she greeted friends. Riza was chatting with Nika and Aurelia. Roy was busy talking to Hughes.

When the ceremony started, the mood became solemn and the entire hall was silent. Sophia was going to give her goodbye speech and at the same time, entrusting the responsibility to Riza.

"I'd like to begin by apologizing to my batch mates. Juniors, I am so sorry that I will not be able to serve out the school year. I'm sorry if I let you down. You trusted me with leading our batch, and I somehow failed. I am so sorry. But I thank you, for the many opportunities you have given me. I thank all of you for believing in me and putting me in this position." Sophia's voice broke and tears slowly flowed. Aurelia, who was standing by the stage, went up and gave her a box of tissues.

"I'm so sorry… so sorry if I didn't get to know each of you well." She continued. "But… but I know, that I am leaving the post confident that Riza, who will be succeeding me, will be a great leader. Riza, I thank you for assuming the post and for taking on the responsibility. It's not easy, but I know that you are the best one for the job." At this point tears flowed down Riza's cheeks. Roy, who was seated beside her and gently patted her back.

"Riza, I have great trust in you. I hope you finish what I started and you do even better than I did. To the faculty and administration, I thank you for the opportunities and the guidance. I will keep the lessons you have taught me. To the council and Ms. Ramirez, thank you for being my pillar of support. You are my second family, and I have grown close to each of you. I will really miss you all. I will leave Fountain confident that the Juniors will have someone to lean on and that she will carry on the responsibilities as representatives well." Sophia ended her speech and the batch gave her a round of applause. The entire council got up to their feet and applauded her.

"The incoming batch representative, Riza Christianna Hawkeye, will now take her oath, followed by her acceptance speech." Maes, who was the host for the event, announced. Riza stood up and went up the stage followed by Roy and Ms. Ramirez. Ms. Ramirez went over to the stand and took over from Hughes.

"Principal Havelock, administrators, faculty and students, may I present the incoming third year batch representative, Riza Christianna Hawkeye." Roy put a mic stand in front of Riza. Principal Havelock went up the stage.

"Riza, please raise your right hand and repeat after me. "I, state your name and position."

"I, Riza Christianna Hawkeye, third year batch representative,"

"Do solemnly swear, to fulfill all the duties and responsibilities of this office,"

"Do solemnly swear, to fulfill all the duties and responsibilities of this office,"

" And to uphold the rules and regulation that govern the student body of this school. So help me God."

" And to uphold the rules and regulation that govern the student body of this school. So help me God." Riza finished her oath and put down her hand.

"Congratulations, Riza." Havelock greeted as the entire assembly applauded. Riza shook his hand and went to the stand to read her acceptance speech.

"I didn't think that after a few months, I would be standing before you, accepting a huge responsibility. Sophia, you were great as leader and on behalf of the batch, I would like to thank you. You have done so much for the batch and the school. I wish you all the best, and I promise you I will finish what you started and o more for this batch." Riza paused to wipe her tears away.

"Sophia, you are one of the people who accepted me even if I was new. Your contributions to this batch will never be forgotten and our hearts go out with you as you deal with difficult problems. This school will never be the same without you. You will always be part of the council, and always be my good friend. Wishing you all the best…" Riza said, voice breaking as she ended her speech. Sophia went up to her and they exchanged hugs and greetings.

"Good luck, Riza." Sophia whispered.

"I wish you all the best, Soph." Riza answered. Roy handed Riza the box with Sophia's gift. She in turn gave it to Sophia.

"This is for you." Riza said and Sophia opened it and pulled out the jacket. Tears flowed freely from her eyes and she smiled.

"Thank you… I'll take care of this forever." Sophia said wearing the jacket after putting the box down on the floor. "I have something for you too." Sophia said as Aurelia handed her a smaller box. Sophia in turn gave it to Riza. She opened it and saw a beautiful, brown moleskin planner with the letters 'RH' elegantly embossed in golden script.

"Thank you…" was all Riza could say as she gave Sophia a long hug.

--

"Riza!" Someone called out to her as she about to leave. She turned and saw Roy, hands in his pockets, his school jacket over his bag.

"Hey…" Riza replied as she stopped and Roy caught up to her.

"You wanna walk home?" He asked her.

"Aren't you gonna get fetched?" Riza asked as they walked out of the school gate.

"Nah, I asked not to be fetched. Let's go for a walk." Roy said.

"You're gonna walk home to your house?" Riza asked, an eyebrow raised.

""Okay, okay… I'm probably going to be fetched at your house." Roy said with a sheepish grin. Riza just laughed.

"What's so funny?" Roy asked.

"Nothing… you're just so amusing." Riza replied. "You're such a great friend. I appreciate your being with me."

"And I'll always be your friend no matter what. I'll be behind you all the time." Roy added.

"And I will always support you." Riza said. "Mr. future-council-president." She added with a grin.

"Haha, thanks really… but let's not get ahead of ourselves. We still have this year to get over with."

"Yes… but since we're friends, and we'll get through everything together."

--

**DONE!! :)) So sorry it took so long… XD And if it's bad tell me through a review! I love reading reviews guys so keep them coming. Please, please R&R. More fluff next chap hopefully. ******

**So that's it! Please R&R! Please and thank you! :D**


	19. Her Unexpected Return

**Hey there guys! I'm so happy with the reviews I got from you guys for Chapter 18. I really, really appreciated it and I was so happy. ******

**So I'd like to thank (I was serious that I was gonna put down the names of those who reviewed.): hello9245, laDy_ruLerbrEaker, Dragonridingattorney43, Mustang, nightgirl-shadow-bleach, Little Miss Clueless, RosieShiba. **

**I was actually writing this part per part and whenever I can write since college is really picking up the pace. So thanks for understanding! Now onto Chapter 19: Her Unexpected Return**

**--**

**CHAPTER 19: Her Unexpected Return**

"Let's cut to the chase… there's a lot we have to discuss especially about the training." Ms. Ramirez began during their Friday meeting at the council room. "I've arranged the room assignments with the council adviser, Mr. Shaw. And I'm not telling you until we get there on Sunday. Anyway, I bought us all tickets by train to Crystal Springs and then a bus from Green Grove will pick us up there and bring us to the school."

They were all seated at the table, listening attentively and jotting down details. The council training was already on Sunday, and they had so much to do. In addition to that, they were getting their report cards day before they left, and they also had to report to school to assist.

"And another thing… please, as a request from Green Grove, bring some formal dinner clothes." Ms. Ramirez said with a slight wrinkle of her nose. She really didn't like these formal events and often avoided it. "They have a special dinner slash dance prepared for us, and it will be attended by the administrators, faculty, the student council and the junior and senior batches." The announcement of a dance brought smiles to some of the members' faces. Hughes looked to Roy and was grinning from ear to ear before elbowing Ed and whispering something into his ear which made him snicker. Roy just ignored it and simply focused on the meeting.

"I expect, or rather, the principal expects that you will be in your best behavior as this is such an important event. I am warning you, any horseplay and I am personally sending you on the first train home. Just because you're council members doesn't mean you can misbehave. The more you have to be, well… in common terms, 'good'." She said using air quotes to emphasize the last part. Before she could go on, someone had knocked on the door and she excused herself. The council was silent until Ed broke the silence.

"Lemme guess Mustang. You're pretty excited for the dance aren't you?" Ed said with a snicker.

"Well, I don't see why you won't be excited, Elric." Roy said confidently, crossing his arms.

"Hmph… I thought you were like something of a debater… answering me should be quite easy." Ed retorted.

"Well, if you're challenging me, well, you better try harder. I don't feel challenged by you, Shrimp." Roy fired back. This made Ed stand up and slam his hands on the table.

"Say one more word emphasizing that, and I will personally pulverize you." Ed half-shouted.

"May I point out that Ms. Ramirez said that we should behave. And as a higher ranked officer, I'm reminding you of your behavior." Roy calmly said. Ed just stared at him, but had no answer to that, and so he sat down.

"Can't you do anything, Maes??" Ed desperately asked.

"Well, Ed. We all know that Roy's gonna do something special. That's a fact. And second, he already told you off, so better just obey." Hughes said wiping clean his glasses.

"Riza, what is Green Grove like?" Nika asked completely changing the topic. Riza looked up from the planner Sophia gave her. Now everyone was waiting, listening intently to her answer.

"Well…" Riza began. "Green Grove, is a bit different from Fountain. For one we had required language courses, here we have it only as an elective. Also they really develop the talents of the students there. They actually have specially developed problems for the students. But other than that… it's almost similar."

"Are the students nice?" Aurelia asked.

"Of course… I do wonder though… if my friends do know I'm going there." Riza said softly.

"Well, either way, we'd be with you." Roy interjected. Riza looked at him and he just smiled.

"Would you know the council members?" Stella asked her. Riza nodded.

"Yes. I know the present council. Actually… I think only Roy knows this… if I didn't move here, I would have been the third year rep there. But that's that, anyway. The president is Almira de Luca, followed by Kaitlyn Taylor, James Cameron, Francis Anderson, Louisa Vasquez, Christopher Lee, Michael Thompson, Lindsay Carlson, and Andreia Silviatti." Riza enumerated.

"The council's mostly girls." Hughes noted. Riza laughed.

"Nobody actually wanted to run for the two top spots except for girls." She admitted.

"Why not the guys?" Ed asked.

"Well, I really don't know… I never asked them that." Riza replied. Before anyone else could answer Ms. Ramirez had entered the room once more.

--

That night, Riza was packing when Beatrice knocked on her door. She allowed her cousin to enter as she turned down the music.

"Hey Beatrice." Riza said as she continued folding some shirts and placing them neatly inside her luggage.

"Hey… what time was that report card thing?" Beatrice asked walking around the room.

"It begins at seven and ends around noon."

"Great, I'll be there early right? So I can go to work on time." Beatrice told her.

"Alright. I'll be at the school anyway. We're required to go… I mean council members." Riza replied.

"Okay… that Roy guy isn't gonna pick you up?" Beatrice asked as she turned to leave. Riza stared at her cousin dumbfounded.

"Pardon me?"

"I saw him pick you up." Beatrice said with a sly smile. "Is there anything between you two?"

"No." Riza replied simply. "We're good friends."

"Alright then." And with that Beatrice left.

--

The next morning, Riza and Beatrice arrived at the school half past six. Riza showed her cousin to the room then left her there to go to the council office.

"Good morning!" Riza greeted as she entered. She removed the scarf she was wearing that day and hung it on the council coat rack. The weather had started to change, and it was cold most of the time. She straightened out her uniform in front of the mirror before signing on the council log book. Nearly everyone was there.

"Where's Nika and Roy?" Riza asked Aurelia.

"They're on their way… are you excited for tomorrow?"

"A bit yeah." Riza replied as she fixed her hair into a neat ponytail.

"Not nervous on seeing your friends?"

"I told you, I am. A bit." Aurelia smiled at her friend and continued working on her report. A few moments later, Roy came into the office and hung his scarf and jacket on the coat rack.

"Good morning, Riza." He greeted her.

"Good morning, Roy." She replied as he sat down beside her.

"You know, my parents said I can pick you up tomorrow… there's no way you can get to the train station on time by walking."

"Thanks for offering… I was actually thinking of asking you for that favor." Riza said.

"All set for it?"

"Why is it that everyone keeps asking me that?" Riza asked, slightly amused.

"Well, for one you're new. Two you're going back to your old school. Three, well… I haven't really thought of a third reason."

"Fine…"

Before he could say anything more, Ms. Ramirez poked her head through the door and called them out. As they walked the hallways, Roy asked Riza something.

"Remember what Ed said yesterday?"

"Of course…" Riza replied remembering the mild word war.

"Well, you want to go to the dinner with me?" Roy asked. Riza raised an eyebrow.

"But we're going there as a council…"

"I know, but there'll be a dance. And I'd like a dance with you." Roy explained, slightly embarrassed.

"You guys really have a way of asking girls out. Fine… I'll dance with you." Riza replied with a small laugh. Roy couldn't help but be relieved.

--

Beatrice left soon after she got the card, stopping only to hand Riza her card. Riza couldn't help but be pleased as she held the half sized bond paper in her hands.

'_No grade below 94… wow…'_ Riza thought as she stared at the numbers.

"How'd you do?" Aurelia's French accent came from behind. She too was holding her card.

"Great… you?"

"On the boundary with Math. Man, I need help." Aurelia said with a sigh. Riza laughed.

"I can help you… maybe before council meetings?" Aurelia's face brightened up.

"You'll do that?" she asked.

"Of course. Before the meeting starts I can help you." Riza said as they went back to their posts.

--

They were allowed to leave at twelve thirty. Riza walked out on her own and ran into Roy and his parents who were by the school gate.

"Good afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Mustang." She greeted as she approached them.

"Riza dear! How are you? How are your grades?" Cameron asked.

"They're terrific, thanks." Riza replied. "How'd you do?" she asked Roy.

"Batch number one." Roy said humbly. His parents beamed.

"We're proud of him. I wouldn't be surprised if he became a great lawyer like his dad and Colleen." His mother proudly said. Riza smiled.

"I admire Roy in so many ways. He's a great friend." Riza complimented. This made his parents even prouder.

"Oh by the way Riza, did Roy tell you we were going to pick you up tomorrow? So that you won't have to worry too much about that." James asked.

"Oh yes, Mr. Mustang! Thank you so much for offering to bring me to the station. I really appreciate it." Riza gratefully said with a smile.

"It's not a problem dear… we'd love to help you anytime… Would you like to join us for lunch?" Cameron asked.

"Oh no, it's alright. I have to make sure I'm packed already." Riza declined the offer.

"Oh alright then… Take care dear, at least let us drop you off at your house." Cameron offered again.

"I…" Riza started.

"No it's alright Riza… I… my parents and I want to make sure you're safe." Roy said.

"I… alright then if you put it that way." Riza finally gave in. Roy smiled and put his arm around Riza as they walked to the Mustang's car.

--

Early next morning, half-past five, the Mustangs picked up Riza. Riza said goodbye to Beatrice before leaving.

"I'm leaving Beatrice. See you in a week." Riza said as she opened the door and picked up her bags.

"Hey. Take care… mom told me to tell you to take care as well. And no exploring." Beatrice called out from the kitchen.

"I had no plans of that." Riza replied. But in her heart, she knew she wouldn't be able to resist. She closed the door and boarded the car. She greeted Roy and his parents and they were off.

After a while, they arrived at the train station. Most of the council members were there waiting. Only Aurelia and Ed were missing.

"Good morning Ms. Ramirez." Roy and Riza greeted as they joined the group.

"Good morning. That leaves Ed and Aurelia. Your tickets you two. The train departs at six. Which means the two have less than fifteen minutes to get here. Oh, good morning Mr. and Mrs. Mustang." Ms. Ramirez said handing Roy and Riza their tickets.

"What time will you arrive at Crystal Springs?" Roy's father asked.

"The trip will take approximately three hours. The bus ride to the school, around thirty minutes." Ms. Ramirez replied.

"Ah of course… thank you. Roy, come here for a moment." James called his son and gave him reminders.

"G'morning Riza…" Victor greeted with a small yawn.

"Good morning, Victor… what time did you get up?" Riza returned the greeting.

"Three AM." Victor complained in a tired voice as he leaned on his stroller bag.

"I'm so excited to get there!" Stella squealed. The older members couldn't help but smile at the enthusiasm of the youngest. A few minutes before they boarded, Ed and Aurelia finally arrived. After making sure they were all there, they boarded the scarlet and green colored train. They went up to the third car and found their respective booths. Aurelia, Nika, Stella, Victor and Ryan were in one booth, while Roy, Riza, Ed, Hughes and Ms. Ramirez were in the other.

"Sleep if you want to. Keep the noise down. I'll inform you if we're near Crystal Springs." Ms. Ramirez told them. They all answered her in unison and they went off to their respective booths. Riza was first in, and attempted to put her bag on the overhead bin but it was difficult.

"Here, let me help." Roy said, putting down his bag and getting Riza's bag and putting it in the bin.

"Thanks…" Riza said as Roy put his bag in the bin as well.

"Hey Mustang, why don't you put my bag in the bin?" Ed said sarcastically.

"Oh shut up. Oh my, I forgot. You're far too short to reach the bin. Hey Maes, Ed needs help!" Roy taunted.

"GIVE IT A REST." Ed hollered earning him a glare from Ms. Ramirez who was right behind him. Ed muttered his apologies as he just stepped on the chair and put it in the bin himself. Then afterwards he sat down in front of Riza, muttering things. After a while, they were all comfortable in their seats. Ms. Ramirez was reading the paper, Riza reading a book, Hughes was texting and Ed and Roy were busy playing cards. Soon, the train had began to move, and after a loud whistle, they were off to Crystal Springs.

--

Riza had dozed off about an hour into the trip. Almost everyone had gone to sleep, except Roy. He was looking out the window, and saw the fields as they passed. He was slightly startled when Riza placed her head on this shoulder. He regained composure and smiled, allowing her to sleep. The book Riza was reading was on her lap, open on the page she was reading. Roy reached out for it and saw that it was his sister's copy of A Little Princess. He remembered what page she was on and then turned the book back to page one and began reading.

The food cart arrived at their car at around quarter to eight. The smell of the freshly brewed coffee and the freshly baked bread aroused those who were sleeping.

"Good morning… coffee, tea or juice?" The cart lady asked as she passed out trays of food which had bread and butter and some fruits. Hughes and Ms. Ramirez said coffee while the three got orange juice. They ate their food in silence.

"We're probably near there already. It's getting chilly. Ms. Hawkeye, how cold does it get there?" Ms. Ramirez asked after they were all done eating. Riza looked up from her book.

"Usually around four or five degrees on a really cold day. We're heading north actually." Riza answered.

"Perfect. A chilly weather. Maybe something to cool you down, Mr. Elric?" Ms. Ramirez joked.

"Thanks a lot, Ms. R." Ed muttered.

"Mr. Mustang… how's your love life lately?" Ms. Ramirez asked with a smirk on her face. Roy stared at her in disbelief for asking such a question. Being on the council since he could remember, the council adviser was like the second parent. Ms. Ramirez was a second mother to him and he knew that she knew him well.

"I… nothing much, Ms. Ramirez. Love is the least of my priorities." He simply replied, going back to reading the magazine he borrowed from Hughes.

"Don't give me that answer, Mr. Mustang. From the way Mr. Elric has been reacting, I can infer something's up." She replied simply, taking a sip of her coffee. Roy said nothing, but had a smirk on his face.

"Ms. Hawkeye, did you think you'd return to your school?"

"Actually ma'am, no… I didn't know that Fountain and Green Grove had relations… I never knew of that even if I was on the council there."

"Actually, the relations are fairly new."

"I see… but actually, my aunt didn't want me to go back there at least for a year or two. She thinks it isn't good if I remember the bad memories. Well that's what she thinks. She regards me as a fragile child." Riza said sourly.

"I can see you have grievances against your aunt, but I'll try to make it fun for you, and so will your co-members. Right?" Ms. Ramirez asked

"Why, yes of course! You actually bring about a different air of happiness. Especially for a certain someone." Hughes said with a wink. Roy rolled up the magazine and threw it at Hughes who was laughing with Ed.

"No horseplay, Mr. Mustang." Ms. Ramirez snapped, still managing to keep the grin on her face. Roy didn't say anything but kept a small frown on his face.

--

The sun was shining when they got off the train. The station was bustling already, people boarding and exiting trains, carts rumbling and rolling here and there. It was just a little past nine. After checking if they had all their bags and belongings, they set off for the main entrance where they would wait for the bus to pick them up. Luckily, when they got there, the bus was waiting.

"Good morning, Fountain Hill High I presume?" A tall, balding man with round framed glasses greeted them. He was wearing the male uniform of the teachers at Green Grove, as Riza noted. She sighed relief when the teacher didn't recognize her, but she remembered him as a teacher of the lower levels.

"Good morning. Diane Ramirez, council adviser." Ms. Ramirez returned the greeting, extending her hand for a handshake.

"Peter Kesh. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm to take you to the school where the principal and Council will meet you."

"Fantastic."

"Right this way." Kesh led the way to the bus which was parked in the parking lot not far from the main entrance. Riza silently followed at the back, her heart beating faster than before. She was silent, as she boarded the bus and sat near the middle, beside a window. Roy sat down beside her.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah… I think." She replied, unsure.

"Don't do that… I know you're not fine. I'm here to tell you that we're here for you. I'm here for you." Roy said securing his scarf. Riza put her scarf on as well as the bus left the train station.

"I told you that it's only Michael that bothered me…"

"Yeah, I know."

"Roy. I need a favor." Riza said looking out the window to the fields and houses.

"Name it." He replied.

"I'm going back to our old house." Her voice dropped down to a whisper. "My aunt doesn't know and she prohibited me from doing so."

"You have a key?" He asked. She faced him and pulled out a chain from her pocket, and there was a small key, scratched from the many times it had been used. He smiled. She put the key back into her pocket.

"I'll do it later, in the afternoon."

"Are you telling Ms. Ramirez?" He asked.

"Maybe. I can trust her… I trust her more than I'd trust my cousin." Riza said with a laugh.

"True." Roy said, his smirk replacing the frown that was there. He patted her hand gently. She couldn't help but be relieved.

--

The bus entered the iron gates of Green Grove and immediately gave them a view of the grounds. It was Sunday so the grounds were serene and clean. The leaves on trees swayed gently in the small breeze. The bus made a turn around the rotunda and stopped in front of the main door of the high school building. The building itself, was just as Riza remembered. It had four floors, air conditioned rooms. It was a brick building, with the school seal and name on a small plaque on the wall beside the door. Riza peeked through the drawn curtains and saw the that the principal, and the entire student council was indeed there, waiting.

"Alright guys, get your bags, and form a line." Ms. Ramirez said. Each one of them got up, reached for their bags and straightened out their uniforms. Roy handed Riza her bag before putting a wool bonnet over his head. It was rather cold. Most of the members wore clothes suited for the cold as well.

"Thanks." Riza softly said as she slipped on mittens and her own light blue bonnet. She fixed her hair, making sure there were no tangles. Then they made their way off the bus.

"Good morning! Welcome to Green Grove!" The principal greeted them. She was a rather small woman, with sparkling green eyes hiding behind her glasses. But she had an aura that meant business.

"Good morning. Diane Ramirez." Ms. Ramirez extended her hand for the second time. "You must be Principal Bernard."

"Indeed. Carmela Bernard. I hope your trip went smoothly."

"Yes thank you, it did." Ms. Ramirez replied, fixing her grip on her bag.

"This is John Shaw, the council adviser." Mr. Shaw shook Ms. Ramirez's hand. He was as Riza remembered him. He was of medium build, still quite young.

"The council: Almira de Luca, Kaitlyn Taylor, James Cameron, Francis Anderson, Louisa Vasquez, Christopher Lee, Michael Thompson, Lindsay Carlson, and Andreia Silviatti." Principal Bernard introduced each member by order of their position. Riza peeked and saw Michael. Roy gave her a small nudge and she turned to him.

"Which one is he there? Is he that guy wearing a green jacket?" Roy asked softly. Riza nodded.

"I see." Roy replied simply. They both turned their attention again to the introductions being made.

"The Fountain Hill council: Maes Hughes…" Maes gave a small wave. They were being introduced in the order they were gathered there.

"Aurelia Clifford…"

"Enchanteé." Aurelia greeted with a smile.

"Ryan Daniels and Victor Sway…" Ryan smiled and Victor waved hello.

"Our two youngest members, Edward Elric and Stella Edwards." Ed didn't like the idea of being introduced as one of the youngest but still waved hi.

"Behind are Annika Green… and Roy Mustang." Roy replied with a simple hi, and Annika followed suit.

"And last, our newest member… our third year bath rep, Sophia Davies resigned due to personal reasons. So our new rep, Riza Hawkeye." Riza slowly stepped forward, and into a clear view of her former schoolmates and council members. They had different expressions etched on their faces.

"It's been a while…" Riza softly said. Principal Bernard stepped forward and gave her a hug.

"It has been a while Riza dear! How have you been?"

"Fine, thanks Principal Bernard." She replied, dreading what could happen next. Her school mates stared and couldn't believe she was standing there, donning a different uniform, representing a different school.

"It's great seeing you again, Riza." Almira greeted with a smile stepping forward to hug Riza.

"Wonderful seeing you again, Mira." Riza replied. Slowly, the other council members followed, greeting her, welcoming her back warmly. Last to greet her was Michael, whose face was difficult to read.

"Hey." Was all he could say offering his hand. Riza shook it and looked at him. He was still the same, his chestnut brown hair still neatly cut, his brown eyes sparkly as ever. After he went back to his line, she went back to hers.

"Well, now that we're all acquainted, maybe a short tour of the school before we show you to your rooms and then you can enjoy the surroundings. If you wish to go out of the grounds, just tell us. We'd love to accompany you to where you wish to go." Principal Bernard said. "Right this way."

They were led through the double doors and into a warmer corridor. There was a wide lobby, surrounded by blue lockers. They were taken through the rooms and the different facilities inside the building. All of a sudden, Riza felt herself being led into a classroom. She turned, and saw Michael, a finger on his lips, his other hand holding hers. They entered the room and he closed the door.

"We need to talk." He said.

"So we'll talk." She retorted and took off her hat and combed her hand through her hair.

"You never replied or took any of my calls." He said, sitting on one of the desks.

"I knew you'd be mad at me." Riza replied sitting on a desk across him.

"You left without explaining things."

"I thought I explained them clearly." She replied.

"You thought. But it wasn't clear. You leave without a proper explanation, and then you show up today, on another council." He said his voice slightly louder.

"Hey, I took this responsibility because it was offered. And I'm pretty sure I explained it to everyone clearly." Riza snapped.

"You really had to obey what your aunt said."

"If you didn't know, my aunts, their families and my grandfather are the only living relatives I have left. If you think I enjoy being told what to do by my aunt." Riza retorted.

"I told you before… that it's not like you to be told what to do."

"There's nothing I can do! They're my only family now. And besides, Maybelle doesn't like you."

"You could have defended me, you know… you're my best friend. You know me better than she does." He complained.

"You make it sound easy." She replied sourly. "So you drag me into this room just to shout at me?"

"No. I wanted to talk, but, you're the one who started shouting."

"ME? Are you kidding me Michael? You start complaining I'm just defending myself."

"What happened to you? You just leave then now you've changed… I don't know you anymore." Michael said, his voice dropping.

"Michael, if you're treating me like this, then you never knew me." Riza replied, definitely hurt by her friend's comment.

"Riz… I…"

"Save it Michael." She snapped, as she stood to leave.

"I want to apologize."

"Save it." She replied as she headed to the door.

"Listen to me first." He pleaded. She stopped and turned.

"So you can shout at me again?"

"NO! Please, just listen to me."

"I've done enough listening, Michael."

"You're being stubborn!" Michael commented. The door opened, and Roy came in.

"Then fine, I'm stubborn!"

"You've changed so much!" Roy stood in disbelief and saw that Riza was on the verge of tears. Michael opened his mouth again to speak.

"HEY! THAT'S ENOUGH!" Roy shouted. "That's enough. I don't know you, but stop it. You don't realize you've hurt her already?!" Roy went over to Riza and put an arm around her.

"Oh, you've got a new friend. Fine, go ahead." Michael said disappointed.

"That's enough. Riza is a member of our council and my friend. You have no right to talk to her like that. And as of now, she is this school's guest. Talk to her again like that, and you'll be sorry." Roy threatened as he led Riza out of the door to join their group, leaving Michael alone in the room.

--

"He's not going to like that you know…" Riza said softly as Roy led her to where they were. Roy who was still calming himself looked at her.

"I noticed you were missing and so did Ms. R. So I said I'd look for you… I really didn't know where to look but when I heard the shouting, I knew you were there. You okay?" Roy asked softly. Riza wiped her tears away.

"Yeah… I didn't expect it to be this way."

"Hey… let's just enjoy our stay here. If anything happens, I'll be with you." Roy assured her as they went out through the back door to the pool area.

"What a welcome." Riza said with a laugh. Roy couldn't help but smile.

"Now that's the Riza I know." The day was still long, and there was something else on Riza's mind: going back to the home she once had.

--

**Hey there! This is done! So I had time to write. Hopefully you guys R&R. It makes me happy! Thanks so much for reading! **


	20. The Home She Once Had

**I'm so happy because people liked Chapter 19. : Thanks so much to those who reviewed and I definitely enjoyed writing it. I'm now back with a brand new chapter. But first, I'd like to thank laDy_ruLebrEaker, Athena's Heart, Mustang, little miss clueless, Dragonridingattorney43 and bychuu, armyheat, hello9245, and RosieShiba for their reviews of chapter 19. Greatly appreciated.**

**Now without further ado, Chapter 20: The Home She Once Had**

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**CHAPTER 20: The Home She Once Had**

Before lunch they had settled in the rooms that they were occupying in the duration of their stay. The building they were staying at was fairly new, Riza still remembered it. It was a white building with three floors. The first floor had the kitchen, a dining hall and some conference rooms. The second and third floors each had eight rooms, and each room can accommodate up to two people. Riza was rooming with Aurelia for the week.

"Ah, such a comfy looking room!" Aurelia said as she and Riza entered their room. There were two twin sized beds, a small coffee table and two chairs. The view was that of the pool area. The aircon was on, so it was a bit cold. There was a cabinet for their things, and a bedside table with lights. The bathroom was small, only having a shower, a sink, and the toilet.

"I haven't been inside the rooms… this is my first time." Riza said as she put her bag on top of the bed nearest the door. "Do you want this bed or the other?"

"I can take the other bed, thanks." Aurelia said as she made her way to the other bed, put her bag on the floor and lay down. "Ah… so good to be on a bed after all the travelling!" Riza just smiled as she sat down on her bed and pulled out her key.

"What's that?" Aurelia asked looking at Riza who was examining the key.

"There's something I have to do… You guys are going to go to the mall… I just have to finish something." Riza simply said. Aurelia understood and just lay in her bed and closed her eyes.

"I'm gonna take a nap. Wake me up if we're doing something." Aurelia said.

"Sure." Riza pulled out her planner from one of her bags. She pulled out a family picture from the pages. She gazed lovingly at it. Those memories were just a thing of the past.

--

"Ms. Ramirez?" Riza addressed her teacher after they had a short meeting to discuss what was going to happen for the week.

"Yes, Ms. Hawkeye? How is the welcome? I noticed that you disappeared when we were having the tour." Her teacher crossed her arms as if demanding an explanation.

"Look, Ms. Ramirez, I can explain… my friend wanted to talk."

"Lighten up. I was just kidding." Her teacher's face broke into a smile and Riza let out a sigh of relief. "Mr. Mustang was rather worried when you were gone so he told me and said that he'd look for you."

"Roy is such a nice guy…" Riza accidently let her tongue slip, and Ms. Ramirez look intrigued, a smirk now on her face.

"Well, let's leave boy talk for another time… you are going with him tomorrow to the ball, I take it?"

"I… um…"

"Silence means yes… not being able to come up with an answer, means yes as well. What can I do for you, Ms. Hawkeye?"

"I need to go back to my old house…"

"I see, and I presume that you came to ask me for permission and at the same time not to tell your aunt?"

"Yes, ma'am… I just need to get a few things."

"Will Roy be with you?"

"Yes."

"Go after lunch… then come back here, then we'll all go to the mall. Leave after lunch because it's your rest time and it won't look suspicious. We never know who knows about your not being allowed to your house."

"Thank you." Riza said softly as she turned to leave.

"Ms. Hawkeye… know that we'll be here for you. You're part of our family now." Riza just nodded and went back to her room.

--

After lunch, she and Roy left the school grounds, making sure that they were not seen or followed. She led Roy through the streets to her home, not far from the school. It was a small house with two floors. There was a small wooden gate marking the boundaries. Riza remembered that there used to be beds of flowers around the small stone path leading to her house. The flowers were still there, although they were not as radiant and beautiful as when they were there. The grass was long, but there were signs that it had been cut just recently. She closed the gate after Roy and led him to the porch. The plants hanging from the roof were left unattended unlike the other plants. The rocking chair was dusty and hasn't been used for months. Riza remembered that her mother used to tell her stories as she sat on her mother's lap while watching the stars in the night sky.

"Hey… you okay?" Roy said from behind, putting a hand on her shoulder. Riza stood there for a while, composing herself.

"Yeah… it's just been a while." She said simply as she pulled out the key and slipped it through the keyhole and turned. There was a click, and she pushed the door open.

Everything was just as she last saw it. Her living room was the same. There was still a long piece of cloth covering their sofa, cloth covering various appliances like the TV and the computer. The table was dusty. Riza looked at the shelves with the family albums. It was all dusty. The family pictures were all there, and Riza saw again her father and mother's smile. Roy looked at the pictures and saw that Mrs. Hawkeye was just like an older copy of Riza. She was tall, had light blond hair and Riza's reddish-brown eyes. Mr. Mustang on the other hand, wore glasses, his black eyes evident from behind. He had light chestnut colored hair and was tall as well. The picture seemed years ago as Riza was still young.

"You look good in this picture." Roy complimented. Riza just smiled as she went to another room and left Roy there. He saw that by the window, under a cloth cover was the family piano. Roy, without thinking twice removed the cloth and fanned away the dust, coughing a bit.

"Roy, are you alright?" Riza called from the kitchen.

"Yeah! It's alright…" he replied. He pulled out the chair and saw that a sheet of music was sticking out from the chair. He lifted the cover of the seat and saw that there were music books hidden under the top. He pulled out the sheet of music that was sticking out and read the notes. It was written in a neat, cursive handwriting and the date showed that it was written ten years ago, so Roy assumed it was written by Riza's mother. He replaced the top of the chair and put the sheet of music on the piano. He sat down in front of the piano and read the notes. After reading it, he slowly played the notes. What he heard was a sweet, soft tune, a very soothing and gentle song. Riza heard the music from the kitchen and it immediately brought tears to her eyes. She'd recognize that tune anywhere. She went out into the den and saw Roy sitting in front of the piano and playing the tune. She stood by the doorway and wiped tears away from her eyes. Roy heard her crying and abruptly stopped.

"Riza! Are you alright?" He said concerned.

"Please… keep on playing…" She requested. Roy looked worry but Riza's eyes told him that she wanted to hear it.

"Alright…" He said and he started playing again. Riza approached him and the piano and softly sang the lullaby that she last heard long ago.

"My darling child… don't be afraid… I'm always here, watching over you" Riza fought back tears but continued singing the song. " Keep smiling, the stars will shine brightly in the sky… I will always be here…" she stopped singing but Roy kept on playing. Riza let her tears flow freely. Roy stopped playing, stood up and hugged Riza.

"I just miss them so much!" Riza cried on Roy's shoulder.

"Hey… hush, don't worry… we're here. I'm here for you." Roy said running his hand through her hair.

"I lost mom when I was seven… eight months ago I lost my father." She narrated. "Mom was involved in a car accident. I remember being pulled out of my class and my dad took me to the hospital…"

"Hey… let's sit down." He led her over to the couch, and he removed the cloth and they both sat down.

"I cried the whole day when mom died. It was so sudden! I cried every night, wishing she was there to tuck me and sing me her lullaby. Dad tried to be strong, but I know he missed her deep inside." Riza pulled out her handkerchief and wiped away her tears. "Aunt Maybelle and mom's sisters never liked dad. After they got married, they cut all ties from us. Only grandfather made the effort to invite us for get-togethers and visit us here. He understood my mom, and she was my grandfather's favorite… but my aunts never agreed. That's why I resent them sometimes."

"I understand how you feel… you… you want to head back?"

"No… it's just too much to bear. All this sadness. I was pulled out of the school I grew up in, forced to leave the home I once had, sent away. When dad died due to a disease he contracted abroad, my aunts didn't know what to do with me. It was grandfather who took me in and convinced my aunts to fund my education. He's the only one I consider part of my real family… I miss him too. I haven't seen him since I buried my dad."

"You've been carrying such a heavy burden within you… that's why I admire you a lot." Riza looked at Roy, slightly surprised.

"You're so strong, determined and courageous. You're unique Riza, and seeing you continue and move on… how do I say this… I admire you." He said softly before opening his arms for another hug. Riza accepted the hug and softly whispered.

"Thank you Roy…" She said as they broke apart. "I'll head on upstairs to get some of my stuff." She said as she stood up. She wiped her eyes on her sleeve. Roy stood up and followed her upstairs. Riza stood in front of the door nearest to the stairs. Sure enough it bore a nameplate with her name. She opened the door and went inside. Roy followed her in. Riza's room was big and spacious. On the walls were pictures of the family and Riza's many medals. The wall was painted with light blue and purple stripes. The bed was still well-kept but dusty to some extent, as was much of the things in the room.

"I'll just get one of my dresses." She said heading off to her closet.

"Wait, you mean you didn't bring any dress at all?" Roy asked, surprised.

"No… it'll give me a more legitimate reason to go here." Riza said with a shrug as she opened her closet. "Periwinkle blue or lilac?" Riza asked pulling out two dresses, each dress was floor length. The periwinkle blue dress had straps and rhinestones on the dress. On the other hand, the lilac dress was strapless and had beads instead of rhinestones.

"You're asking me?" Roy asked, having difficulty in choosing.

"Well of course." Riza said, definitely cheered up now. Roy scratched his head and thought hard. "I'm waiting, Roy." Riza said, pretending she was impatient.

"Okay fine! The periwinkle one." Roy chose . Riza smiled and put the lilac one back in the closet.

"Well, that does it… I'll probably go back here before we leave so I can get the lilac and return this… I don't know how many dances there are in Fountain."

"There are a few actually, the Christmas dance… the one on Valentine's day, the Council Ball, and of course Prom." Roy said with a smile.

"I see… well then… that's all, let's get back there so we can pretend that we didn't come here. I don't think they'd lie for us at this point." Riza said as she and Roy headed out of the room. As she closed the door to her room, she stopped and looked to the door at the end of the corridor. Roy was going down the stairs when she stopped him.

"Roy… hold on…" she said, her face now solemn. Roy went back up the stairs.

"What's up?"

"Hold on… I'm going to go in my parents' room. I want to look for things, for answers." Riza quietly said. Roy just nodded with an encouraging smile. They made their way to the door of the room. She put her hand on the knob but didn't turn it.

"I don't know if this is right all of a sudden." She said.

"Go on, don't worry…" Roy replied. She slowly turned the knob and entered the room. It was larger than hers and what the room looked like surprised Riza.

"The cabinet doors… they're open." She said very surprised. "They're not supposed to be open! Someone was here, Roy!" Riza exclaimed as she went to the closet. The floorboards creaked as she went there and Roy noticed it.

"The boxes where my parents kept important documents… they're gone!" Riza was very upset as she frantically searched for the box. She stood up and hurriedly left the room. The floorboards creaked again as she left.

"Riza… wait a moment." Roy said as he entered the room. Riza stopped in the hallway, and saw that he had gone in and that seemed to be looking for something. "The floorboards creaked when you walked on them." He said, looking for any cracks.

"This house is old Roy… I wouldn't be surprised if floorboards creaked." She said, wiping tears on her sleeve again. She went in the room once more.

"I know, but it was unusual that this was the only creaking floorboard." He said as he found something to grip on and he tugged hard. The board came off, and Riza was shocked. "It could mean that something was hidden here...." He replied with a smug look on his face. Sure enough, there were letters stored under the floorboard. Roy reached down and grabbed some of the letters and handed them to Riza.

"They're… from my parents." Riza said softly as she looked at the five letters in her hands. "Thank you so much Roy…"

"No problem, come on let's go, you can read it back in your room. Let's hurry before someone sees us." Roy hid the letters in the inside pocket of his jacket and Riza carried her dress. And with that they left the house and made their way back to the school.

--

Riza and Roy got back just as they were preparing to leave for the mall. The sneaked in without being seen by the Green Grove students and to their rooms.

"Riza! There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you." Aurelia said as she came out of their room.

"I'll explain later, Relia… Can I have the keys? I'll just bring this in." Riza said and Aurelia handed her the keys.

"Tell them we'll be there… tell them we woke up late or something and make sure no one else says anything." Roy instructed as he knocked on his door. Hughes opened the door and Roy went in without any further explanations. Riza went in their room and Aurelia followed.

"I'll wait for you… I see you got your dress." Aurelia said simply.

"Yeah, close call, but it's all fine. What time are we leaving?" Riza asked putting her dress on the chair and storing the letters that Roy had handed her inside her bag.

"In five minutes…" Aurelia replied, looking at her watch.

"Perfect. I'll just get my jacket and we can leave." Riza replied. After she had done so, they both left the room and locked it.

--

"How are you guys liking Midgale so far?" Mr. Shaw asked them on the bus on the way to the mall.

"It's great!" Maes called out from the back.

"Thank you so much. Hopefully you guys enjoy your one week stay and there's a lot in store for you guys and the GG council." Mr. Shaw replied. "How about you, Riza? We haven't heard from you in a while." Riza who was silent all this time, stood up from her seat.

"It's wonderful to be back." Riza said, pretending to be pleased, but failing. Michael, who was seated at the back noticed and she quickly sat back down.

"You okay, Riza?" Aurelia asked, patting her hand. Riza just nodded yes. "Smile…" Aurelia said. "You look much prettier with a smile on your face." With that Riza smiled and Aurelia was satisfied.

"You know, you remind me so much of my little sister, Elisa." Aurelia started, and she didn't stop telling Riza about her family (not that Riza didn't like it. In fact she was relieved that she told her something to get her mind off things) until they got to the mall.

--

They went around the mall for about two hours before going to have dinner in one of the restaurants in the mall. Michael tried his best to get near Riza, in hopes of another chance to talk, but somehow Roy managed to get in his way.

"Seems he wants to talk once more…" Roy whispered to Riza while waiting for the food to arrive.

"Well of course. I told you, he's not going to like it that you intervened… he has a jealous side." Riza replied simply.

"Well, of course he has to be jealous! I'm so--"

"Slow down, Mr. Bighead." Ed cut in the conversation. He heard everything perfectly as he was seated to Roy's left.

"I appreciate it if you wouldn't butt in, Elric." Roy said slightly annoyed.

"Hey… if my life purpose is to butt in and annoy you, then it'll probably be a life well spent!" Ed replied with a smirk on his face while playing with his fork.

"What ugly manners you have, Ed. Maybe you'd like me to send you to your grave?" Roy replied, pulling out his phone from his pocket.

"Nah… that'll be too much work for you. And besides… I'm not done teasing you endlessly." Ed retorted.

"Well, you better shut the hell up before I make you." Roy replied. Before Ed could say anything more, Ms. Ramirez cleared her throat and sent a glare their way. With that Roy and Ed both shut up and tried to behave.

"Looks like the only person who can do that is Ms. R." Ed muttered. Roy was annoyed, but kept his cool.

"Oh shut up."

--

**And I have to wrap it up there! Next chapter guys, I promise will have the dance/ball. But, before that, I'm near to getting 100 reviews, and it would make me so happy that with this 20****th**** review, I get the 100****th**** review. :)) So I hope you guys do review (or else, no chap 21… Just kidding!) But I do hope you review! To those who read and will review, I thank you in advanced. ******


	21. Two Left Feet

**Hey there guys! I'm back with Chapter 21! Thanks so much to the people who reviewed chapter 20. I appreciate it a lot. Thanks to Dragonridingattorney43, laDy_ruLebrEaker, bychuu, Athena's Heart, little miss clueless, RosieShiba, hello9245, and winglessfairy25**

**The next few chapters after this will probably take a while since the first sem is ending in my college. So hopefully you guys understand, and hopefully you guys R&R this chapter.**

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**CHAPTER 21: Two Left Feet**

Monday morning, the Fountain Student Council all woke early and had breakfast at 6 so that they could join the classes that day.

"Alright, good morning… I got your schedules and which classes you're joining. And may I remind you that tonight there is a social ball for us… oh how touching." Ms. Ramirez said addressing the group. Ed and Victor snickered at the hint of sarcasm in what their adviser said.

"Mr. Elric, I do hope you behave yourself today." Ms. Ramirez said handing him the schedule.

"Don't worry Ms. R… it'll be fine." Ed said before taking a look at the schedule. His eyes grew big at what he saw. "Hold on!! How come I have Chemistry?" He exclaimed.

"Is anything the matter, Mr. Elric?" Ms. Ramirez asked as she continued to hand out schedules.

"I forgot to mention that Ed… they have a rather advanced program here and second years take chemistry. The freshmen take Intermediate algebra and Biology, The second years take Statistics, Geometry, Trigonometry and Chemistry… Third years have to take Advanced Algebra and Physics, while the Seniors take Calculus and a science elective of their choice." Riza, who was seated at the same round table as Ed, explained. Ed sulked in his seat.

"Thanks for enlightening me…" Ed said gloomy as he clutched his schedule.

"You have the same schedule as me?" Roy asked Riza, who started reading her schedule.

"Trade?" She answered before handing him hers. Smirking, he handed her his.

"Well that's good, we're in the same class." Roy said.

"I think we're in the advanced class… Oh no." Riza replied, before realizing something.

"What is it?"

"We'll be in the same class as Michael."

"That's fine. As long as he doesn't bother you, then I'll leave him alone… if not, then I'm serious about what I told him." Roy simply said, taking a sip of his orange juice. "I did notice though… we have geography class and French class?"

"Yes… students here are required to take a language course every year… I guess they gave me my old language course and gave you the same class as well…" Riza simply said.

"Alright, if you're all done, go back to your rooms, wear your uniform and then report at the lobby." Ms. Ramirez said from her table. They all finished up and went back to their rooms and put on their uniforms. Afterwards, they went back down with the things they needed and waited patiently in the lobby.

"Geez, we still have to wear the uniform." Ed grumbled.

"Ease up, Ed… we're here to learn and represent the school." Maes explained with a grin.

"Yeah, yeah… sure." Ed said, putting his feet on top of the small coffee table in front of him.

"Mr. Elric! Feet off the table!" Ms. Ramirez shouted as she came down the stairs. Ed who was startled, dropped his phone on the floor.

"You know Mr. Elric… someone should get you a footrest for Christmas. It is less than a month away." Ms. Ramirez commented.

"Sure, if you say so…" Ed muttered as he stood up and got together with the group. A moment later, Mr. shaw entered the building and led them to the school.

It was now bustling and full of activity. Students were running up and down the halls, chatting and collecting their things from their lockers and cramming last minute reviews for quizzes.

"I do hope your first night was enjoyable and comfortable. Today is a long day for you." Mr. Shaw told them inside a small conference room. "Basically today and tomorrow, you will experience the academic programs offered here in Green Grove. On Wednesday and Thursday, we'll have the training together with the Green Grove council. On Friday, you'll attend classes once more, and then on Saturday, it's your free day. Any questions?" No one replied.

"Alright then… I'll show you to your classes." He opened the door and they left the room. As they were going to the rooms, they ran into Francis and Louisa.

"Francis, Louisa, kindly assist me in showing them to their rooms." The two nodded and Riza's group split into three. She, Roy, Maes, and Aurelia went with Louisa, while Stella, Ed, Ryan and Annika went with Francis. The rest, including Ms. Ramirez went with Mr. Shaw.

"Hey Riza… you'll be in the advanced class once more." Louisa told her as they went up the stairs.

"I'm perfectly aware of that." Riza replied. Louisa was only a year younger than Riza and they knew each other.

"You had a bit of an argument with Michael."

"I know." Riza replied stiffly as they arrived in the third year corridor. "I can take it from here, Louisa, thanks. You can take Maes and Aurelia to their rooms."

"Alright then… see you later, Riza!" Louisa greeted as she, Maes and Aurelia went up another flight of stairs. The corridor of the second floor was big, and the classrooms faced large windows showing a small garden below. Each room had two doors as well, and there were only three classrooms on that floor. Riza led Roy to the other end of the hallway, and stopped at the first door she saw.

"You ready?" Riza asked with a smile?

"You still ask that?" He replied smugly. Riza shrugged and knocked on the door before opening it.

"Ah… You must be the council members from Fountain Hill… welcome to 3-1. I'm Ms. Jessica Cross the homeroom adviser. Please come in." Jessica Cross was tall, and had curly chestnut brown hair. She wore red framed glasses and a black blazer over the prescribed teachers' uniform. Riza didn't know her so she immediately concluded that she was new.

"Please, introduce yourselves." As Riza entered the room, she saw surprise etched on some of the students' faces. The room was airconditioned, and there were books neatly arranged on the shelves. There were maps on the walls and a bulletin board at the back with announcements pinned on them.

Riza and Roy made their way to the middle of the room, near the teacher's table. From there, Riza could see Michael, seated in the second row. She also saw two empty desks beside his desk. Riza also saw her best friend Camilla waving happily from the back. Riza smiled, she missed her best friend a lot.

"Please, introduce yourselves." The teacher repeated. This time, Roy made the first move and introduced himself.

"Hey there, I'm Roy Mustang, vice president of the Fountain Hill Student Council."

"Hello…" Riza began softly. "I'm Riza Hawkeye, Third year rep of Fountain Hill. It's great to see you guys again."

"You were a student here?" Ms. Cross asked, slightly surprised.

"Yeah she was… she was supposed to be the third year rep." Michael answered loudly, sounding very bitter.

"I see… thank you, Michael. Please, take a seat. I'll finish with homeroom and then you will have your first class, Geography." Riza and Roy went over to the second row, and Roy immediately sat on the desk beside Michael's.

"Thanks…" Riza muttered softly so that only Roy could hear. He just nodded as she pulled out her notebook. Ms. Cross went on with her announcements, which included an announcement on the ball. Upon mentioning the ball, students started chatting and giggling, exchanging stories on what they will wear, who they will go with. Michael pretended he was going to talk to someone about the ball. Riza didn't seem to care less. If her friends was going to act plastic, then she wouldn't care.

'_As if asking other girls out will faze me… who is he kidding?'_ Riza thought to herself annoyed. Roy saw the annoyance etched on her face and gave her a pat on the back and an encouraging smile. Riza just let out a small smile. When the teacher was done giving out announcements, she left the room, and the Geography teacher, whom Riza recognized, entered.

"Good morning, we're going to have a game the entire period seeing as you guys are so busy thinking about the ball."

"Mr. West, we have 'new' students." Riza recognized that voice from anywhere, and it was the class rep Gianina Thompson. Upon hearing that they did have new students, Mr. West craned his head and looked around. His eyes landed on Roy and Riza.

"Riza Christianna Hawkeye, is that you?" He asked. Mr. West was one of Riza's favorite teachers because of his funny antics.

"Yes, Mr. West, it is me… I'm on the Fountain council now."

"You're very powerful and skilled, Riza dear… anyways, hopefully, you'll enjoy the game today. We're playing Geography taboo!" Many of the students were happy to hear it.

"This is how we'll do it. Four groups, first two rows right side, last two rows, right side, you get the drill. Now, one member will stand up, get a piece of card here from this box…" He held up a small wooden box and shook it. "…Then try to help your group mates guess the country by giving them clues. However, you can't give them the capital, where the country is, what you call the people, the food, the language and other factual things. You can choose to use trivia, or famous people or landmarks for the factual clues, or you can use the syllables and tell your group mates what the word sounds like. But, you cannot explicitly say the word it rhymes with. Ready? Group with the most points wins. 1 minute to guess as many countries as you can, no stealing. If you commit any of the taboos, 10 seconds pause. If you pass, 10 seconds also. Group 1, let's go." He pulled out a stop watch from his pocket as a boy with black hair stood up from the left hand side of the room and rubbed his hands together, getting ready to play the game.

"You have one minute group 1. Pick your card, James." The boy stuck his hand into the box and pulled out a card, he read the country and smiled.

"One minute, starts… now!" Immediately, the boy went to giving a clue.

"Has the name of a biblical king in its name!" He shouted. His groupmates were racking their brains for an answer. "Come on guys, it's so easy!!" He shouted.

"Solomon Islands!" Someone finally shouted from the group.

"Correct!" The boy shouted as he pulled out another card. "Um… maple leaves!"

"Canada!"

"Um… wounds like a word synonymous to starving!"

"Hungary!" Before he could get another card, time was up and they only got 3 points. It was now Riza's group's turn.

"I can do better than that." Michael confidently said, looking at Riza.

"You sure, Mike?" A girl asked him. "Maybe Riza can do it… she's always been good with countries." Roy smiled.

"Or maybe Roy can do it… you look smart! Why don't you do it?" The girl turned to Roy. Michael looked disappointed.

"But, I can do it."

"Shush Michael, you'll get your chance… I mean, come on, it's so that he can experience it."

"Okay fine." Michael said with a disappointed tone as Roy stood up. The teacher looked surprised when Roy stood up.

"Ah… the new student, what's your name son?"

"Roy. Roy Mustang."

"Pleasure to meet you. You understood the rules, yes? Alright, get a card and then we'll start." Roy got a card and immediately smiled. Riza noticed that her female schoolmates were giggling and blushing.

"Start!"

"Mount Fuji." Roy calmly said.

"Japan!" The group replied almost in unison. Roy picked out another car.

"Leaning Tower of Pisa." Roy asked once more.

"Italy!" Riza answered with a smile. Roy nodded and picked out a card. They were barely twenty seconds in and they already had two points.

"Mahatma Gandhi."

"India." Michael answered before anyone else did.

"The ancient Persian empire."

"Iran!" Riza remembered that lesson in their world history class. They were a point up.

"Smallest country…" Roy asked with a smirk.

"Vatican City." Riza calmly replied.

"Country spanning two continents." Roy asked, sensing that time was almost up.

"Russia!" the group replied in unison, and their turn ended.

"Amazing… six points! Impressive, Mr… erm…"

"Mustang."

"Impressive, Mr. Mustang." Roy put his hands in his pockets, and went back to his seat. Their group mates patted his back and congratulating him. Only Michael was unimpressed. The other groups had their turn and they had another turn, this time with Michael playing for them.

"Start, Michael."

"Fifty states."

"USA."

"Eiffel Tower."

"France." Michael was trying to be cool and calm like Roy. All that went away when he pulled out his third card.

"Oh shoot. Pass." Roy shook his head, a smirk evident on his face. Michael picked another class and waited for the ten seconds to pass.

"Pass." Michael said getting frustrated. He knew Roy was indeed better at that than he was. Before he could get another card, time was up. Rather angrily, he went back to his chair and was in a bad mood the rest of the time.

--

As soon as classes let out at four, the group went back to where they were staying to prepare for the ball.

"You could hear his tone… he wanted to impress me." Riza said stiffly as she and Roy went up to their floor.

"Yeah, and he was trying his hardest to beat what I did." Roy said with a laugh. "But sadly, he failed."

"Alright Mr. Geographer… I'll be in my room."

"You'll be pretty to me no matter what." Roy said complimenting her.

"Oh don't flatter me." Riza said, her eyebrow rose as she pulled out the key and opened their door. "See you later Roy."

"Alright… see you."

--

A few minutes later, Aurelia knocked on the door and Riza let her in before going into the bathroom.

"Help me fix my hair will you Riza? I'll fix your hair too. So you can knock them out." Aurelia said with a grin.

"Sure thing." Riza replied before closing the door to the bathroom. When Riza was done, Aurelia took her turn and Riza dried her hair while seated on the bed. As she rummaged through her bag for lotion, the letters fell out. She stared at the letters lying on the floor, some written by her father, some by her mother. At once, questions went in and out of her head. Why did her aunt not allow her to go back to their house? What were they hiding? Why were the house surroundings looked well-kept? She picked up the letters and examined them. The papers were turning light brown, but whatever was written was well preserved. Before she could open one of the letters, she heard shouting and laughing outside.

"Oh come on, Ed!" She heard through the door. It was Maes. She toweled dry her hair and put it on a chair and opened the lock.

"Aurelia, I'll step out for a moment." She called out and left the room. When she left the room, she saw Roy, Maes and Ed standing outside Roy and Maes' room.

"Am I interrupting anything?" Riza asked as she closed the door.

"Edward here has a small problem, and doesn't want to get over it." Maes explained. Roy was laughing so hard.

"Well, it's easy for you to say, since you can dance!" Ed complained.

"Is that the problem? You can't dance?" Riza asked as she approached the group,

"It's not that I can't dance… I don't dance. I hate it." Ed said with a pout.

"I can help you…" Riza offered.

"There's no need to do that. I won't dance at all tonight." Ed replied, defiant.

"No can do, Elric… Ms. R. won't allow it." Roy answered, now able to speak properly.

"Then I'll find a way!"

"You know Ed, you can just learn to get over that… Riza's offering to help." Maes pointed out. "And besides, a lot of girls might want to dance with you and you might disappoint them."

"But I--"

"No buts…"

"I have two left feet! I might just step on girls' toes."

"That's why I'm helping you. Come on." Riza replied, stepping forward. Ed, although reluctant, did.

"Take her hands Ed." Roy told him. Ed reluctantly did, taking her right hand and putting his left on her waist.

"This is so damn hard…" Ed complained.

"Why? Is it because you're short?" Roy taunted.

"I dare you to say that again."

"You're short." Roy bravely said.

"Ed, you have to learn to dance properly without any fears." Maes interjected.

"You step forward with your right foot." Riza instructed. He did so, but it was too wide and he ended up stepping on Riza's toes.

"Ouch!" Riza exclaimed as she stood on one foot and rubbed her toes.

"See! I told you! I'm an embarrassment!" Ed shouted.

"Ed, come back here! We're not done yet. I can take care of my foot, but I'm not going back to my room if you don't learn to get over your fears." Riza commanded.

"Yes, ma'am!" Ed said, surprised and scared at the tone used. He took her hands again and tried once more. He got the first step right.

"Now step your left." He did so, this time making sure he didn't step on her toes, still slightly nervous. Ed would hesitate once in a while and check if he was stepping on anything soft. "Then your right… then your left…" Ed closed his eyes, not wanting to see Riza's face if he stepped on her toes again.

"See Ed? You're dancing!" Riza said with a smile. Ed slowly opened his eyes, and saw that he was, although very slow, dancing. Ed then stopped.

"I can dance! HA! I TOLD YOU." Ed shouted, stomping his foot and once more stepped on Riza's toes.

"Oww! Ed!" Riza's face showed the pain. Roy and Hughes laughed hard.

"Now you need to learn how to make sure that you won't step on a girl's toes!" Roy exclaimed, laughing.

"I'll show you Mustang! You'll see! At least I can dance!" Ed proudly said as he went back to his room. When he closed his door, Riza turned to go back to her room.

"Hey Riza… you okay?" Roy asked.

"Yeah, nothing a little massage can't do. I'll take care of it. Thanks for the concern Roy. I'll see you later." She said as she entered the room and closed the door.

"Haha, you better be a good dancer, Roy. Your date knows how to dance." Hughes joked.

"Oh shut up. I can dance well thank you."

--

"What was that?" Aurelia asked Riza when she entered the room. Aurelia was sitting on her bed, drying her hair.

"It's a boy thing…" Riza simply said with a grin as she retrieved her comb and combed her hair once more as she sat on her bed.

"If it's a boy thing, what were you doing outside, hmm?" Aurelia asked, a tone of suspicion in her voice.

"Let's just put it as me helping out sort things… after all, girls sometimes know the best answers to boy problems." Riza said before laughing. Aurelia joined in and laughed as well. Riza looked at her watch and saw it was already five.

"Hey, we better get started with our hair… we have to be downstairs before six thirty. And it's almost sunset too." Riza said. Aurelia nodded, stood up and went over to her bag. Much to Riza's surprise, Aurelia pulled out a lot of things from the smaller of her two bags. A whole make- \up kit, some hair spray, curling irons, a blow dryer and a lot of other things.

"You brought all that from Midgale?" Riza asked.

"Of course… we need to glam up! And I can't not take that chance. I'll do you first, since your hair is almost dry, then you do mine."

"Aurelia, you sure about this? Um, hair spray? Doesn't that damage the environment."

"Oh hush, hush… I'll only use a few sprays don't worry." Aurelia said assuring her and pulling out a chair for Riza in front of the cabinet where a large mirror was stored. Riza sighed before standing up and allowing Aurelia to do her hair.

"What color is your dress?" Aurelia asked as she ran a comb thorough Riza's hair.

"Periwinkle."

"Ah I see… Okay, so I can fix your make-up." Aurelia said as she plugged the iron and the blow dryer.

"Just make sure you won't overload the system." Riza warned.

"Of course…" Aurelia said, very happy. "Alright, I'll dry your hair first." She said as she used the blow dryer to quickly dry Riza's hair.

"Would you mind if I curl your hair?" Aurelia asked.

"Um… don't curl it too much. Maybe slightly curl the ends, make it a bit wavy. But don't curl my hair entirely… I don't like the idea of that." Riza replied. Aurelia nodded.

"I'll let you borrow one of my special barrettes alright?" Aurelia said as she turned off and put down the blow dryer and went to her accessory kit and pulled out a silver, ribbon-shaped barrette. It had little pink and white gems all over it. She put it beside the table, near her reach, and then she grabbed the curling iron.

"That's beautiful, Aurelia. You sure you don't want to use it?"

"No… it looks much better on you!" Aurelia said as she got locks of Riza's hair and slightly curled the ends.

"Alright then.. if you say so. How do you want your hair later?" Riza asked as her friend worked on her hair.

"Curled." Aurelia said with a smile. "As if my hair isn't curly enough." She added with a small laugh. Riza just smiled.

--

After a while, Riza was all done, hair and make-up. Then she stood up and switched seats with Aurelia.

"Thanks so much, Aurelia!" Riza said as her friend sat down. "Um… one thing though. I'm not too good with make-up. Hair and curling, I can do, but make-up is something I don't do."

"It's okay." Aurelia said. "I can do it on my own."

"Alright." Riza replied as she started fixing her friend's hair.

--

When they were both done, they got dressed and got the stuff they needed then went down to the lobby to meet up with the rest of the council. They saw that all the boys were there and were busy chatting.

"Hey there, is Ms. Ramirez done yet?" Aurelia greeted as she and Riza joined the group. Immediately, the conversation stopped and silence fell on the guys.

"What, it's like you've never seen girls in dresses before." Riza commented as she sat down on one of the chairs that Roy vacated for her. She noticed that as she sat down, Hughes elbowed Roy and winked.

"Um… no it's not that. You both look pretty." Roy complimented.

"Thanks." Aurelia answered. "So we're waiting for Nika, Stella and Ms. R.?"

"Naturally…" Ed answered. "The last person I'd expect to be all pretty tonight is Ms. R."

"I beg you to repeat that, Mr. Elric." A voice said from the stairs. Ed immediately froze and slowly turned to see that Ms. Ramirez was coming down the stairs wearing a simple black dress.

"Oh, you must have heard wrong, Ms. R!" Ed made an excuse.

"I assure you my hearing is fine. Ms. Hawkeye, please go up and tell Annika and Stella that we are leaving in five minutes." At once, Riza stood up and left the group. She went up the stairs and knocked on the door of her co council members. The door opened and Nika opened the door.

"Oh sorry, we're just fixing up the room." She said. Nika had her hair in a neat bun, and she was wearing a simple, but elegant white dress. Stella, who exited the room, was wearing a golden hair band and a strapless, light pink dress.

"You go on ahead; I'll just lock the room." Nika said. Riza nodded as she and Stella went down to rejoin the group.

"Nika's on her way." Riza informed them as she and Stella joined the group.

"Alright. Now, I am reminding you of your… behavior. Please I'm hoping you won't embarrass yourselves or the council. You are representing the school, I'm sure you're tired of that, but I must continuously stress on that. And yes, as much as Mr. Elric does detest it, I expect all of you to dance tonight. If a student from Green Grove asks you to dance, please, for your sake and mine, just accept it." Ms. Ramirez reminded them. They all nodded and once they were all there, they left the building and made their way to the convention hall inside the school where the ball was going to be held.

--

When they got there, they could see that students were still getting dropped off at the venue. Some we chatting and taking pictures of each other and just waiting for the event to start. They quickly made their way up to the main hall where they were quickly ushered into the hall and greeted warmly by teachers and administrators. Riza saw that the students were there, looking at them. Looking at her. The big hall was beautifully decorated with flowers and lights. There was an area for photos and the round tables were all around the hall. There was also a huge space for dancing, then there was the stage.

"You'll be seated at table three." The usher told them as she led them to their table. Each table was good enough for ten people, and they filled it up.

"Okay, go on and enjoy. Be back before the event starts." Ms. Ramirez told them. They just stared at her, no one wanting to go. "What's wrong with you? It's so simple to get up and mingle." And she herself stood up and went over to the administrators. One by one, they slowly stood up and went around. Roy offered his arm to Riza.

"I suggest we go over to the photo booth first?" Hughes suggested. They all nodded in agreement and went to one of the photo booths for a group shot.

"Everyone ready? Let's have two formal, and two informal shots." The photographer told them. The quickly arranged themselves and posed for the pictures. Just as they were about to leave, Hughes whispered something to Ed. Ed had a huge grin on his face and nodded. Maes cleared his throat.

"Excuse me sir, are couple pictures allowed?" The camera man looked up from his camera and the rest looked at Hughes. Roy and Riza definitely knew he was up to something and Roy opened his mouth to protest.

"Of course it's okay! Who wants to go first?" The photographer answered and at once seven fingers pointed to Roy and Riza.

"Oh you guys are just so funny." Roy said sarcastically, glaring at Hughes and Ed who had huge grins on their faces.

"Oh go on, Roy. You know you want to. Hurry up, there's still a lot of us here."

"Then you go ahead." Roy retorted.

"We insist. And it doesn't seem to bother Riza." Roy turned to Riza.

"I'm fine with it." She answered with a soft smile. He sighed and quickly led her to the photo area. He straightened out his suit and fixed his tie, while Riza fixed her hair.

"You two ready? Two formal, two informal." The photographer said.

"Roy come on, be a sport and pose properly." Hughes shouted. Roy, wishing that his best friend would stop just went with it. Form the corner of his eye, he also saw Michael and his friends approaching the booth, and so he quickly posed, putting his arms around Riza. Hughes and Ed whistled and clapped. They finished the other pictures and he saw that Michael was watching them the entire time. When the others were taking their picture, Riza asked Roy.

"You saw Michael didn't you?" She asked.

"Haha, yeah I did." He replied with his smirk.

"So you decided to play along?" She answered, still quite serious. His facial expression changed when he saw her seriousness.

"You didn't like it?" he asked. She was silent, then her lips broke into a smile.

"Got you." She said happily and Roy just stared at her. It took a while to register.

"Oh you're so cunning and funny, Riza Hawkeye."

"Lighten up. I know you enjoyed it." She replied as she held his hand and looked at their friends enjoying. Soon their fingers were intertwined.

--

Soon after, they had dinner. A band played live music and the photographer was moving around to take table pictures. Once in a while, someone from Green Grove would approach them and ask if everything was okay and if they needed anything.

"It is customary that whenever we have guests, we welcome them in a let's just say glamorous fashion. We want to make you feel welcome. To strengthen the bonds between students, we have the traditional dance after dinner. May I request the student council members from both Green Grove and Fountain Hill to please stand up and go to the dance area. They stood up from their chairs and followed the Green Grove members to the dance area. They had previously discussed who was dancing with whom. Maes was dancing with Nika, Roy with Riza, Victor with Aurelia and Ed with Stella. Ryan was dancing with Andreia Silviatti. They took their positions and formed a circle. They were arranged alternately around the circle, and Roy noticed that Michael and his partner, Kaitlyn were to their right.

"Look who's watching you like a hawk. Pun not intended." He said.

"I won't mind him. Let's just have fun, okay Roy?" He looked at her before finally saying okay. He took her in his arms and the music started to play. They slowly waltzed first in place, and soon they were moving around the circle. They would both glance at the others once in a while. They danced and enjoyed every moment of it. Ed had a huge grin on his face, telling them both that he was doing just fine and that he was enjoying.

"Looks like the shrimp is actually enjoying himself." Roy told Riza.

"He wouldn't like it if he heard you."

"Exactly. He didn't hear me." Roy justified. "Mind if I share something?" He asked them as they went around another time as the music was slowing.

"Sure go ahead." Riza said as they slowed down.

"I got a 1 out of fifty on my last quiz." Roy admitted. Riza just looked at him, disbelief on her face.

"What happened?" She asked, concerned as they were coming to a stop.

"I got a one out of fifty… because you're the one thing that's right in my life." He replied with a smirk. They finally came to a stop.

"Oh you are so corny, Roy Mustang."

--

**WHEW! I have to end it there guys! I have a lot of stuff to do. As I said, the sem is ending. So probably the next chapter will be up middle of October. The corny pick-up line is all my classmate's fault. ******** I do hope you guys review! Thanks so much for reading! Hope you enjoyed it. **


	22. Letters From Long Ago

**HEY GUYS! Yeah it's been a while, the sem is over for me, so now I'm on sem break! So as I told my friend I'll be writing to keep myself busy… :D So now without further ado, I give you chapter 22 Letters From Long Ago.**

**--**

**CHAPTER 22: Letters From Long Ago**

It was nighttime again, and Aurelia had just gone to bed after finishing the work that was given to her class. Riza was still up, a few pieces of paper on her bed. She was reading through her French notes. Even if she did know the lesson well already, she just needed an excuse to stay up late. Late enough to have some privacy. When she made sure that Aurelia was sound asleep, she stood up and pulled out the letters from her bag.

She turned it over and once again read the envelope. It was definitely her father's handwriting, and from the color, she knew it was written shortly before her father's death. She slowly opened the envelope, careful not create any noise, or Aurelia might wake up. She pulled out folded pieces of papers and carefully opened the letters up. Her eyes welled up with tears when she saw her father's own neat handwriting in black ink. Immediately, emotions flowed into her. She had never gotten to say good bye to her father. He was abroad when he had died, and Riza had only seen him three days after he had passed. Her finger traced the cursive letters, as if to remember her father. She took a deep breath before reading the letter.

_Riza my dear,_

_It's been more than a month since I last saw you. I am sorry that I have not been able to contact you… I could have called you, written to you or even texted you. But somehow, and I am sorry for it, my work got in the way. To tell you the truth, I have not been feeling well the past days. I know that somehow you feel that I am not well, and I would just lie and tell you otherwise. It was so as not to worry you my dear. _

_I have a feeling my days are numbered. I may not see you again. So I am writing you this letter, so as to answer your questions, which I have decided not to answer years back. _

_I am sorry if you think that I have not been a good father to you. I sometimes think that I have failed you and your mother. I promised her, as she was dying, that I will forever take care of you and raise you well. Now I feel that I failed. I was most of the time not home. You were alone at home most of the time. But somehow, before I go (it is unavoidable… I will go ahead and be with your mother once more), I know you have questions left unanswered. _

_I must tell the truth. Your mother's sisters never did like me, and never did agree to your mother's marriage to me. It was only your grandfather that did not object to the marriage. He respected your mother's opinions and got to know me well. I cannot say the same for your aunts. They never did like me because they thought I was not a reliable man. I was building my career as a scientist, and I was travelling a lot. But, I loved your mother dearly. It was a huge blow to me when she had died due to that tragic bus accident. Your mother was always the helpful, gentle and compassionate woman I knew. She never hesitated to help others who were in distress, even if it meant throwing away her life for them. I know you miss her a lot, as do I. _

_Your mother left you letters as well. You will find it with my other letters, hidden under the loose floorboard in our room. This was so that none of your aunts would find what they wanted. Riza, when the time is right, you will find out what is in store for you. Promise me, that when you turn eighteen, you will once more go back to our home, and there, the unanswered question will find its answer._

_I wish you all the best, Riza my dear… I want you to know that I loved you from the bottom of my heart and thought of you every day. If your aunts will in turn take care of you after my passing, just endure it. I know that they will not treat you well, because they never did like me and blamed everything that happened to your mother on me. Always take care of yourself Riza._

_Your mother and I will continue to watch you from above._

_Love,_

_Your father_

Riza hands were shaking slightly when she was reading the letter. All this time, she had endured her aunts' complaints about her. But she had never realized that it was due to their disliking her father. All this time, she knew that it was her grandfather that supported their family the most. She wiped her tears away and stood up and went over to the window. She opened the curtains and stared at the starry sky.

"Mom… dad… if you hear me, know that I miss you so much. I wish you were here… I'll be strong for you." She whispered, wishing that her voice would reach the heavens. Aurelia stirred slightly, but Riza didn't mind. She stood there for a while, wishing that their family was not torn apart by what she would regard as a tragedy.

--

The next day, Riza had gotten up early despite going to bed so late at night. She went out to the back, to the small garden there. Lucky for her, there was a small bench where she could sit. The sun had already risen.

'_I have to be strong. This isn't like me… I won't let myself be bothered by such trivial things.' _She thought to herself.

"Mind if I join you?" A voice asked from behind. She turned and saw Roy walking towards her. Her lips broke into a small smile. She nodded and Roy sat beside her.

"Can't sleep?" He asked.

"On the contrary, I slept soundly last night." She replied. "You?"

"The same." Silence fell between them.

"We should go around town on the weekend." Riza suggested.

"We should. What can we do there?" He asked.

"There's a rather large park there, we can rent bikes and even have a picnic… great time for the council to bond." Riza said. "Well aside from the mall of course… that park surrounds a small lake… people go swimming there sometimes."

"Sure that'd be great!" Roy said. "What classes do we have today?"

"PE first thing." Riza replied. Roy let out a small groan. "What's the matter? Don't like PE Roy?"

"Depends actually on the activity."

"Volleyball."

"Oh… I'm fine with that. Except of course getting hit on the face by a rubber ball."

"Getting hit on the face with a ball… oh lighten up Roy Mustang. It's not like you to get so worked up over something as trivial as volleyball." Riza said with a small laugh.

"It's all Isabelle's fault. When we were younger we would play volleyball, and she'd always aim the ball and hit my face." Roy admitted.

"Maybe it's her way of saying I love you." Riza suggested with a smile.

"…How would you know if someone loved you dearly?" Roy asked softly. Riza turned to him.

"Depends on the 'level' of love…" Riza said.

"Don't analyze it. Just tell me how you would know if someone loved you?" Roy stood up and paced around the garden.

"Well… that person who loves me dearly, will always be there for me and push me up and encourage me to move on… I would face the future with him no matter what. Why? How would you know if someone loves you Roy?" Roy stopped in front of a small patch of daisies.

"I always wondered when the right girl would come… Someone who'd understand who I am and accept me for who I am… I mean I have a lot of dreams and ambitions…"

"So you want someone to support you as well." She finished his statement, her voice soft.

"Who wouldn't want that?" Roy said as he picked out a daisy from the patch an went back to where Riza was. He sat down beside her and gave her the daisy.

"You picked flowers from the garden?" Riza asked, her eyebrow raised.

"Why, is it wrong?" Roy asked like an innocent little boy.

"Roy, it's common sense, do not pick the flowers, especially not from a garden that's not yours."

"HAHA, but it's a way for me to show how much I care for you." Roy justified. "And that I'll be there for you as well."

Riza just smiled, and placed her hand on top of his.

--

After having breakfast, they all went to the school to join their classes. Hughes noted the difference in the attitude of the two.

"Hey Ed." Hughes nudged Ed slightly.

"What?" He replied annoyed.

"Did you notice the difference in Roy?" Hughes whispered.

"What? Like I'd notice anything, he's still the same pompous bighead that he always was." Ed reasoned.

"Not that, Ed… don't let your prejudices get to you. No, look at the way he acts around Riza."

"OH… that change in attitude." Ed said with a smile. "Of course… who wouldn't notice?"

"At least I'm not the only one who noticed."

--

Roy and Riza went to the gymnasium with the rest of the class. They kept their distance from Michael, who, they were both sure didn't like the way the Roy was being overly protective of Riza.

"Hmmm, I have that bad feeling I'll get hit by the ball."

"Roy we're playing volleyball not dodgeball. How well do you play?

"I'm good at it. It's just getting hit on the face that gets to me. Remember the Isabelle thing."

"Then you have nothing to worry about." She assured him as they entered the gym. Immediately, they heard the shrill sound of the whistle.

"Alright, warm up. We'll have our mini tournament today." The teacher shouted. He was short and stout, wore the usual work out outfit and a silver whistle around his neck. They formed a line and one of their classmates led the class around the indoor track oval.

"Three laps people!" they went around the oval as said. Once they were down, they did a bit of stretching before going off to the sides.

"Alright people, today we'll have our mini-tournament. We have two extra people, so that brings your class total to thirty-two…"

"Mr. Wright, Camille and Leo are absent today." Someone called out from the back.

"Better. At least we now have good five teams. Make necessary changes… Fill up the class numbers that are missing. One team will stand by and wait to play. May I remind you that this is a major chunk of your grade this quarter, so you guys have to play well. May I remind our, ehem, volleyball varsity team members here, go easy on your classmates. We don't want any injuries." He said as he looked through his clipboard. "Alright, break off into groups by your class number. That's as random as it gets… as for Ms… oh Ms. Hawkeye. I see… you can both join the last group. Mr…" he looked through his list. "Ah… Mr. Mustang. Go on, and prepare… the group will need you guys to play." They both nodded before joining the group in the corner.

"You guys play volleyball?" A voice greeted them as they joined the group.

"Hey, don't doubt Hawkeye's talents… she's one of the best in the batch actually, surprised though that she didn't join varsity." A girl reprimanded.

"No worries, Camille. You were that new student last year, weren't you?" Riza said as she fixed her hair into a ponytail.

"Yeah… sorry, didn't get to know you last year. Trent Roberts." He extended his hand. Riza shook it.

"Pleased to meet you." Riza said with a smile.

"And you are?" Camille asked.

"Roy Mustang."

"I know you introduced yourself yesterday, but we didn't… Camille. Camille Williams." Slowly the group introduced themselves one by one. Once that was done and they were well acquainted with one another, they got a ball and started with drills. After a few rounds of drills, the games started, so all the other groups had to sit down. Roy and Riza watched the games silently, aware that Michael was staring at them the entire time. They both knew that he didn't get over the whole argument thing. They watched the first two games, and then they were called to play with the first losing group. There were a few jitters here and there, but they both managed fine and both Roy and Riza played well. In the end they won the game and earned a faceoff with Michael's group.

"Oh it's my lucky day." Roy said sarcastically as they walked onto the court. He was dribbling the ball as they walked, each dribble getting louder and louder.

"Ease up on the ball… the poor thing's going to get punctured the way you're hitting it." Riza reprimanded.

"How can you shrug something like that so easily? He is mad at you."

"I'm perfectly aware of that."

"And you don't mind?"

"He got mad at me for the wrong reasons… not something I should get so worked up about. Get ready, give the ball to Camille, she's serving first." Roy nodded before giving Camille a heads up and threw her the ball. Then he got back into position beside Riza and readied himself. The coach blew his whistle and Camille served the ball. A girl on Michael's team received the ball and someone set it up before Michael unleashed a rather strong spike that sent the ball zooming towards them.

"Mine!" Riza shouted as she received the ball. Trent set it up and Roy went forward and spiked it very hard. The ball landed in an open spot, earning them a point. They exchanged high fives and huge smiles. Camille got the ball once more and served the ball.

The game was intense. Whenever Roy or Michael got the ball, the ball was hit considerably harder. Riza could see the concentration etched on Roy's face. She just smiled.

"Riza! Heads up!" The ball was falling and she had only one chance to hit the ball to that small open spot she spotted near the line. She adjusted then gave the ball a powerful spike. The other team, not knowing whether it was going out of bounds or not. The ball landed just a few inches before the line. The coach blew the whistle and declared it inside the court.

"Yeah! Set point guys." Camille told them as they gathered for a group hug before getting ready.

The next rally was intense. Both teams were playing very well, each wanting to win. They were running around, keeping the ball in the air and trying to score the points they needed. While saving the ball, Camille and Trent had a small collision, Riza set up the ball, but it was falling, the other two were on the far ends of the court. When she blinked again, the ball was soaring to the other side. Roy had spiked the ball once more and it was heading straight for Michael. He wasn't prepared and the ball hit him straight in the face, but landed inside the court. The game was over and they had won.

"You aimed that ball at him on purpose didn't you?" Riza whispered as they walked off the court.

"Nope… it wasn't my fault he was standing on the open spot I was aiming for." Roy replied with his signature smirk on his face.

"Yeah right, excuses, excuses, Roy Mustang."

"But it did remove the stress inside of me… and I didn't get hit by the ball."

"Alright then whatever you say."

--

They had met up with the others during lunch. They were happily exchanging stories about their classes.

"We're having the training tomorrow right?" Aurelia asked as she ate her salad.

"Yeah we are, so better prepare… it's like we're going to have a little competition tomorrow." Hughes replied.

"Looks like Roy's not going to have a problem with that." Riza joked, bringing up their game earlier.

"It wasn't my fault… he was in the way." Roy retorted with a pout.

"Why what did Mustang do now?" Ed said as he drank his soda.

"He hit Michael on the face with a ball." The entire council burst out into laughter.

"Oh stop it… he was in the way, what can I do?" Hughes stood up and went to sit beside his best friend.

"It implies something else." Hughes softly said so that only Roy can hear. He jerked his head in Riza's direction. She was happily exchanging stories with Stella and Aurelia.

"She knows Hughes… I think she knows."

"Roy, if you really have feelings for her, then go for it… or else, Mr. I-got-hit-on-the-face-by-a-ball, will try to win her back."

"Oh stop it. Don't tell me what to do." Roy said annoyed.

"I'm your best friend Roy, sometimes I have to tell you what to do… think of me as your conscience."

"Oh geez, can I have a different person to act as my conscience."

"Her maybe?" Hughes said slyly.

"Oh stop it. Don't you have an exam to study for?"

"Roy, this is an exchange program. As much as we're encouraged to participate in class, we don't really need to answer the exams. Besides, we already took that up back in Fountain."

"Fine, fine, you're a freaking genius already. Just lay off with the love thing."

"I must have been a matchmaker in past life." Hughes quipped.

"Stop it."

"Then answer me, when are you going to tell her?" Roy fell silent. Slowly, the rest of the council got up to leave for their next class. Roy wiped his mouth with a napkin then stood up.

"I'll know when it's time."

--

**I'm done guys! I'll be back with 23 soon I promise. ******** Reviews are greatly appreciated and that will make me very happy. Til the next chapter.**


	23. Fierce Rivalry

**Hey there! :D I am back with chapter 23… yes since I am on sembreak, I plan to post at least three or four chapters… just to keep me busy HAHA. I won't have classes until November 10, so that's a long time… sort of. Thank you so much for those who reviewed… and I mean everyone who reviewed. And also those people who read the fic. ******** I am happy to hear that. Without further ado, I give you Chapter 23: Fierce Rivalry.**

**--**

**CHAPTER 23: Fierce Rivalry**

That night, all of them were in Roy and Hughes' room. Victor, Ryan and Stella were helping each other with homework. Ed and Roy were busy playing chess while Riza was seated on one of the chairs reading a book. Aurelia, Nika and Hughes were busy talking with each other. Once in a while, Ed would shout out in frustration and attempt to throw chess pieces at Roy.

"Ed, the objective of the game is to force me into a checkmate… not the other way around. And it won't help you if you keep throwing pawns at me." Roy said, his tone smug, as he moved his bishop to eat one of Ed's knights.

"Oh shut up, Mr. Chess-varsity-captain." Ed said annoyed as he racked his brains for his next best move. "Why did I even agree to a chess game with you? And why on earth do you have a freaking chess board?" Ed asked, trying to get Roy's attention away from the game.

"Nothing really… it's just something that will get my mind off things once in a while. And you might want to keep your voice down, some people are doing homework." Roy said. The three youngest members just looked up and smiled.

"This is so frustrating." Ed complained. At this point, Riza went over to them and sat down on the floor.

"Ed if you're just going to get frustrated, then just finish the game then relax…" Riza advised.

"I know… but I want to show Mustang that I can beat him at something he's good at."

"Which you're failing…" Roy pointed out.

"Oh shut up." Ed said throwing another chess piece, which Roy avoided, and it hit Victor's head instead. "Whoops… sorry bout that Vic." He sheepishly said. Victor just shrugged it off with a smile. Roy and Riza had looks that said I-told-you-so.

"Ed, I think it's best if you move your queen instead." Riza suggested. Ed was about to move his bishop instead. He looked at her.

"How sure are you?" Ed asked.

"Ed, I've played a few games myself… trust me." Riza assured him.

"Don't mind Ed… he's always going to doubt whether the advice given to him will do him any good." Roy said as he checked his phone for messages. Ed was getting annoyed at Roy's cool attitude. He picked up the queen and moved it with a loud clack.

"Yo, easy on the chess board Ed…" Hughes called out from his bed. "Guys, you ready for tomorrow? Ms. R. is still at the school planning the stuff needed for tomorrow. All she said was wear comfy 'work out' clothes, bring extra clothes and towels."

"So that means we're going to swim?" Aurelia asked.

"I don't know really… but if she did ask us to bring towels, then it's highly probable."

"How deep is the pool here, Riza?" Ed asked.

"Hmm… I think the deepest part is six feet." Riza replied. Ed groaned. The others sensing Ed's sentiments laughed.

"Fine… I'm vertically challenged, so what? I'll show you guys!" Ed defiantly said. "Haha, laugh now, I'll show you tomorrow."

"Ease up Ed… we were just kidding." Nika said. The rest agreed, nodding.

"It's just our way of showing that we love you." Aurelia added.

"What a weird way of saying I love you." Ed and Roy said at the same time. They exchanged looks, then realizing that they had said the same thing, exchanged glares.

"Will you two ever get along without a slight squabble?" Riza commented.

"Depends on the situation." Roy answered. He glanced at his watch. It was almost eight thirty. Roza looked at her watch as well.

"Anyways, I'll go back to the room first. Take a shower then do more reading before I sleep." Riza said as she got up and turned to leave.

"Hey Riza, I'll stay here first, if you don't mind." Aurelia said. Riza just nodded and was about to leave when Roy got up and followed her.

"I'll keep you company…" He said, and then his voice dropped to a whisper. "Can we talk?" Riza nodded with a smile, and the two left the room. When they left, the room was silent.

"Something is definitely up." Ed commented, breaking the silence.

"Fifty bucks says--" Hughes started.

"Oh stop it, I always lose our bets." Ed interrupted. "So what's the game plan tomorrow?"

--

"Make yourself comfortable… I'll just take a shower." Riza said. Roy just nodded and sat on her bed. Riza didn't feel embarrassed that Roy was there waiting for her, after all, they had their own before bed conversations before.

"Mind if I borrow your book?" Roy called out as Riza entered the bathroom.

"It's no problem, go ahead." She replied before closing the door. Roy picked up her book, read the back then put it back down. He stood up and walked around the room absent-mindedly. He sighed in relief that the room was neat and orderly. He didn't want to see things that were not meant for him to see. He was walking around and around that he accidentally knocked over the chair that held Riza's things. It fell to the floor with a loud thud.

"Roy? Is everything alright?" Riza called out from the bathroom.

"Yeah! Just knocked over your chair… don't worry, I'll fix it." Roy replied. He picked up the chair and her bag, and the letters they got during their little excursion fell out from it. He put the bag back on the chair and picked up the letters. He noticed that one of the envelopes was open. He knew that she had read it. He put back the letters in her bag then sat down on her bed and waited. After a while, she came out of the bathroom, toweling her hair, wearing her pajamas.

"Is everything alright, Roy?" she asked as she toweled her hair and got her comb from her bag.

"Clumsy me, I just knocked over the chair… nothing big." She sat down beside him, very quiet.

"I didn't read the letters if that's what you're thinking." Roy added noting her silence. She shook her head and looked at him.

"I'm not mad at you… you have a right to know what happened." Riza answered. She combed her hair and they were both silent. When she was done, she took a deep breath.

"You know my father wasn't here when he died… he was abroad on a lecture and research project." Roy looked at her. She wasn't crying, but he knew that inside she was overflowing with sadness.

"I never got to see him again… never got a chance to tell him everything I wanted to tell him. My aunts first tried to hide it from me, but I eventually found out from my grandfather…. My grandfather was the only one who understood me."

"You sure you want to tell me this?" Roy asked her before she could continue.

"You know what Roy… even if I only met you this year, I feel that you're one of the people I could trust. Even if I'm here where I once lived, it seems alien to me now… you would understand my situation."

"I'm always here… as I said, let's talk."

"My father told me…" she continued. "…that my aunts never agreed to their marriage. They thought that my dad was an irresponsible man, always out on research projects and lectures. They thought that my father won't be able to fulfill the responsibilities as a husband, let alone a father. But my mother loved him, and my father loved her so much. Only my grandfather understood them." She took a deep breath. "You know, I've only opened my father's letter… I haven't seen my mom's letters yet. Roy… I will go back to my house one day. My dad wanted me to get something."

"If you want, I'll accompany you." Roy offered. "I told you I'll always be here for you. My parents actually like having you around and the family loves having you."

"Thanks, I'm glad to hear that. Hey… about tomorrow." Riza started.

"What about it?"

"Go easy on Michael will you? Or the guy's going to bear a grudge against you forever." Riza said with a smile.

"He has to give you a proper apology first…" Roy stubbornly said.

"That's gallant of you, but don't hurt him." Riza said.

"You still like him?" Roy said, feeling a pang of jealousy inside of him. Riza could sense that somehow he was jealous.

"It's not like that Roy… he was my friend anyway… and I respect him to some extent. But there was nothing romantic between us. So you can ease up a bit on your revenge thing." Roy burst out into laughter.

"I was not planning revenge." He defended himself.

"Oh really, hitting him on the face with a ball was not intentional?"

"I told you a hundred times.. not my fault he was standing in the place where I can score a point."

"Sure… that's what you say." Riza said. Before he could say anything else, someone had knocked on the door.

"Riza, it's me!" Aurelia called out.

"Coming, hold on a sec, Aurelia." Riza said as she stood up. She opened the door and let Aurelia in the room. Roy stood up at once.

"I'm going back to my room. See you tomorrow. Good night, Aurelia… good night to you Riza." He said with a smile as he exited the room.

"Good night Roy." She called out before he entered his room. She then closed the door, a smile evident on her face. Aurelia could see the smile and couldn't help but comment.

"So… what did you two talk about?" Aurelia asked as she prepared to take a shower.

"Nothing much…" Riza replied.

"Spill." Aurelia said, sitting on her bed. Riza sat down on hers as well. "You do like him don't you?" Aurelia pressed. Riza was silent.

"It isn't a crime to like him… a lot of girls like him. But he never really had an eye for a specific girl. He gets along well with people you see… he's not a charmer, he's a real gentleman." Aurelia said. "Hey, he's never had a girlfriend, ever… don't believe what Christella says." Aurelia added, bringing up Christella. Riza looked at her.

"That's the first time someone mentioned Christella to me this week." Riza said with a laugh.

"I'm serious… Christella was on the council before… way back in second year. And we all knew she had a huge crush on Roy. Then after that she started telling people that she and Roy were going out, which of course, Roy denied." Aurelia said.

"Well… Christella has issues against me." Riza said.

"She has something against everyone." Aurelia said. "Anyways, I'll go take a shower first."

"Sure, sure." Riza answered.

--

The next day, they had all gotten up early and had breakfast at six. Their training begins at seven, but they all wanted to fix their game plan.

"Alright, you guys ready for today?" Ms. Ramirez asked them as they were about to leave the building. They all either nodded or said yes.

"I'll tell you now, you'll have a little race. I'm sure you're familiar with the Amazing Race." She winked. "Good luck, don't disappoint me."

They met up with the Green Grove council at the door of the school building. They were also wearing comfy clothes and ready to compete against Fountain.

"Alright guys, and girls… welcome to the leadership training. This is the first of many activities that was prepared especially for you guys, to hone your leadership skills. The first of which is something similar to the Amazing Race. I want you guys to play clean, remember you are student leaders, and you're here representing your schools. You were chosen among others to lead them. We're here to help you hone your skills." Mr. Shaw told them. Ms. Ramirez was standing beside him, with other teachers.

"Around the campus are several checkpoints. At each of those checkpoints, there is a certain task that you have to do for you to move on to your next task. A teacher is assigned to each station and they will give you the instructions for the specific station. Both teams will start at the here, and have the same first task. From then, you can go according to your own pace. However there are several rules. Before a teacher can give you the instructions for a specific station, you must show the other clues from the other stations. Two, all members of the group must be there. No one must be left behind. Three, no unsportsmanlike behavior please. Let's all be friends here. Some stations require only a certain number of people to do the task. Others require all members to do the specific task. Talk it among yourselves who will do the task. If you have any questions, approach me, Ms. Ramirez or any of the teachers stationed all over the grounds. Lastly, have fun. Any questions?" After a few questions, and when everyone was set, they were asked to get ready.

"Your first clue is over there by the school gate. Only one person should run over there and grab it before coming back here to proceed to your first task. Choose your first representative to run over there and grab your clue." Each group huddled and talked their options.

"Who's the fastest runner?" Hughes asked as they were talking about it.

"Victor's on the track team, he can do it." Nika suggested.

"You up for it Victor?" Roy asked.

"Yeah I'm up for it." He replied.

"Alright, it's settled. Go for it, Vic." Hughes said. "Put our hands together, guys." They all put their hands in the center. "One, two, three, let's go!" They all chanted and raised their hands to the sky. On the other side, the other group did the same. When everyone was ready the first two contestants, Vic and Francis readied themselves at the starting point. Mr. Wright, the PE coach was standing near the starting point.

"On my whistle!" he shouted in his loud voice. After a few moments, he blew his whistle and Vic darted off to the gate, Francis not too far behind him. Both were very fast runners and soon they were at the gate. They both got a clue, the one for Fountain was blue, and the one for Green Grove was green. As soon as they got it, they both dashed back. Vic reached his group first and handed the clue to Hughes who read it.

"Who's read to make a splash?" he looked up. "It's a swimming task." He looked around. "We need two people to do it."

"I'll do it." Roy said.

"I can do it as well." Riza volunteered. Hughes face split into a smile.

"Alright… so, let's see what you're going to do." He looked at the back. "Two people will have to dive into the pool and retrieve balls and a chip of their school's color. The team can only receive their next clue when all the balls and the chip has been retrieved."

"Alright." They both said. With that, they all dashed off to the direction of the pool, the Green Grove council not far behind them.

"I'm so glad I'm not doing this…" Ed said as they ran.

"Yeah, I can hear your relief, Elric." Roy replied.

"Are both of you guys wearing swimming attire?" Hughes asked?

"I can swim in my shorts, no worries." Roy said.

"Don't worry, I'm wearing swimming stuff." Riza said. She was wearing shorts, a shirt and a two piece bathing suit. "I'll just take off my shirt and dive in, in my shorts, no worries."

"Alright, great." Hughes replied as they entered the gates leading to the pool. One of the Green Grove teachers was standing by the bleachers by the pool. They ran down the stairs, careful not to trip.

"Fountain Hill?" the teacher asked. They all nodded. "Who are your two representatives?" She asked. Riza and Roy raised their hands and stepped forward. The Green Grove students were coming down the stairs at that instant.

"Alright, suit up, you can use goggles over there. Collect all blue balls, and you have to dive and retrieve the blue chip. Put everything in this basket." She handed them a basket and they went off by the pool side. Roy took off his shirt and removed his shoes. Riza took of her shirt fixed her top, removed her shoes and tied her hair into a neat bun. They both wore goggles and got ready to dive.

"Good luck guys, go for it, we'll help you put the balls in the basket." Hughes said. Roy and Riza nodded and dove into the pool. Not far behind them, Michael and Kaitlyn got ready and not long after dove in to retrieve the green colored balls and chip.

"I go under and get the chip!" Roy told Riza. "Start getting the balls." Riza nodded and started gathering the balls. One she had a few balls she swam back and handed the balls to Aurelia and Hughes who then put it in the basket. Both teams were neck in neck and both had essentially the same strategy. Michael had dived down to retrieve the chip while Kaitlyn went to get the green colored balls. Once Roy had surfaced with the chip, he handed it to Hughes and went to aid Riza with the balls. Michael was just behind him, and both were swimming fast.

"Are we seeing a rivalry?" Ed whispered to Hughes.

"I have no idea…" Hughes replied. Riza was coming back now with a few more balls.

"How many more Riza?" Aurelia asked.

"About twenty more." Riza said taking a deep breath before going back. Not long after, Roy went back with five balls and he gave it to Hughes.

"Few more to go Roy!" Hughes cheered his best friend on. Roy nodded and went back for a few more balls. After a while, only a few more balls remained on both sides. Near the end, there were only four more balls, two per side. Riza and Kaitlyn were both tired, and Roy told Riza that he'd go back to get the last two balls. Michael did the same, and both were in a head-to-head swimming competition. The cheering was intense. Hughes and Aurelia helped Riza out of the pool, and Stella gave her a towel. In no time, Roy had retrieved both balls and was on his way back, Michael not far behind. Then Michael let go of one of the balls and it drifted off, wasting more time. Roy managed to hand of the last two balls and Hughes and Ed helped him out of the pool.

"Boy, you're freaking heavy Mustang." Ed commented, and Roy just glared at him and got up. He quickly put his shoes on and they all dashed off to get their next clue.

"Congratulations, here is your next clue. Be careful." The teacher told them. They all nodded, stepped aside and read the clue. The Green Grove team was just heading over there.

"Who is up for a little math?" Hughes read and they all exchanged looks. "I'll do it then… it only requires on person." Hughes volunteered.

"Alright… where do we go?" Roy asked, as he toweled his hair.

"Around the grounds near the pool are five small, colored and hidden capsules. Inside of those capsules, are mathematical equations. One person will have to solve the different equations, while the other representatives can go around the grounds and look for the capsules. Once done, the numbers will give us the location of the next station. Extra clue: use this as your stepping stone and follow the stars."

"Okay that was a confusing clue." Ed muttered.

"Guys, split up and look for the capsules. It's around the pool area, so it shouldn't be so difficult." Hughes directed them. Both teams were at the same stage and started the second task at the same time. They scrambled to look for the capsules. Riza, her shirt back on, ran to the east of the pool area. Not far behind her was Louisa.

"Find anything?" Riza asked Aurelia when she bumped into her near the back entrance to the nearest building.

"Nothing yet, did you try that hilly mound thing?" Aurelia asked.

"Oh I forgot about that area… I'll go look there. After, I'll go to the back of the place we're staying. There's a small garden there." With a nod, they both went separate ways and Riza ran up to the small, hilly area Aurelia described. There were a few trees, and under one of them, she spotted two capsules, one blue and one green. She took the blue one, and careful not to be seen she ran back down and back to Hughes. He was seated on the ground, three opened capsules in front of him. He was busy solving the equations.

"I found one more." Riza said, slightly exhausted from all the running. She handed the capsule to Hughes who smiled.

"Thanks. Why don't you rest first… you look tired. We don't want to burn you out… Roy found the first capsule, nearly collided into that friend of yours as they dashed for the capsule." He narrated, laughing when he spoke of Roy. "The other one, Ryan found near one of the doors, and the last one, Nika found very near the pool area. This is the fourth. They have two I think…" Hughes said as he tapped his head with a pencil. He was writing at the back of the slips of paper. Riza sat down beside him and took deep breaths.

"Towel yourself dry… or Roy would kill me if you get sick." Hughes said smiling.

"Why would he kill you? It's not your fault I got wet…" Riza replied. Hughes finished up the last equation. From the corner of her eye, she saw Michael returning with another capsule.

"Well, I'm sure Roy would worry over you." Hughes simply replied. "So that's thirteen, twenty seven, thirty three and fifteen… we need one more." At that moment, everyone on their team came running back, the last capsule in Stella's hands. She handed it to Hughes who got himself busy. Roy sat down beside Riza.

"I think you better change your shirt." He told her.

"Oh stop it… you're wet too."

"You might get a cold." He pointed out.

"So will you." She retorted with a smile.

"Hey lovebirds, we got the last number. It's forty." Ed told them.

"You know it's rude to interrupt." Roy pointed out. "What does the second part of the clue mean?"

"Use it as your stepping stone and follow the stars." Hughes repeated

"What kind of joke is that?" Ed said. "There are no stars in the morning."

"There is a star out in the morning and that's the sun… but that doesn't make sense still." Nika pointed out.

"Follow the stars… guys, who's gone camping before?" Roy asked. Vic and Ryan raised their hands.

"Don't you follow the North Star when you get lost?" He asked and the two nodded.

"The stars aren't out, Mustang." Ed answered.

"I don't think it means the stars exactly…" Riza started. "I think it means, we go north." They exchanged looks and read the clue again.

"And the stepping stones?" Hughes asked.

"I think it means the numbers are the number of steps…" Ryan suggested.

"But don't people have different pace factors?" Nika asked.

"It's worth a try anyways." Stella said.

"Alright then. Let's take a vote. Do we use the numbers as steps?" Everyone raised their hands and then stood up.

"Anyone have a watch with a compass?" Roy asked, meaning for it to be a joke.

"I do." Ryan said and he looked at his watched. "North is that way…" he continued pointing to the small path leading to the buildings.

"So we add all the numbers…" Hughes muttered. "One twenty eight. Let's start walking and counting while they still don't have all the capsules."

And so they walked, counting the steps as they did. They were careful not to lose track or else they had to go back to the start.

"Can we do this ala Hansel and Gretel? Someone got pebbles or something?" Ed grumbled.

"Keep counting, Ed." Hughes told him.

After a while of walking, and counting, they found themselves nearest to the entrance leading to the gym. They took a gamble and went in. Standing there was coach Wright.

"There you guys are… what took you so long." He told them with a slight laugh. Hughes just smiled.

"Alright, this station requires five people to shoot thirty baskets in two minutes. If you can't do it and the next team arrives, you have to step aside. We don't want any accidents with people hitting each other with balls. The others can go retrieve balls for your team." They huddled and talked about it.

"I think the guys should do it." Aurelia suggested.

"I don't know… I'm not too good with hoops." Ryan said, slightly embarrassed.

"No worries, anyone else who can't do it, guys?" No one else backed out.

"Okay, we need one girl to step in." Ed said. No one said anything.

"I'll do it. I've played a little basketball." Riza said.

"Alright… don't tire yourself though." Roy reminded her. She just smiled as they went to the court and got five balls, one for each of them. Stella was going to count the baskets made while Aurelia, Nika, and Ryan will retrieve the balls.

"On my whistle." Coach Wright told them. Hughes readied himself. He blew the whistle and Hughes threw the ball and it went cleanly through the hoop. Victor went for a turn and got his in as well. Ed, Roy and Riza followed and got their baskets in as well. At that moment, the Green Grove students entered the gym.

"Concentrate guys, don't mind them." Hughes told them as Vic shot the seventh goal for their team. Ed missed and he cursed really loudly. Roy and Riza made their shots.

"One and a half minutes left." They made five clean shots bringing their total to fourteen. Then Hughes and Vic missed, so they only had seventeen. They were rushing already, but at the same time they managed to make most of the shots.

"Thirty seconds!" They had only twenty five baskets.

"Roy! You, Riza and I better take the last shots. Vic, Ed, you can step aside." Hughes said and they did as he said. It was much faster when only three of them did it. They shot four baskets out of seven tries.

"Ten!" Roy missed and so did Hughes.

"Five!" Riza dribbled and threw the ball. The coach blew the whistle as the ball went through the hoop.

"Yeah! That's our Riza!" Hughes said very proud as all of them went for a group hug.

"Green Grove, get ready for your task." Coach Wright said before handing Fountain their next clue. They stepped aside and read the clue.

"This will test the knowledge of your school rules. Make your way to the council room where your next challenge awaits." Hughes read.

"Riza, take us there." Nika said and they all ran out of the gym.

--

They ran quietly through the corridors and found their way to the council room. Ms. Ramirez was there and beside her were two Green Grove students dressed in their uniforms.

"Hey there guys. Hope you're having fun… this is your fourth task, you still have five more to go. But this should be quite easy. We have here two students, wearing your uniforms. As student council members, you have to know and abide by the school rules. This will test it. There are ten things that are wrong with these students. That's ten per student. Start now." The two students stood up and they quickly scrutinized it.

"The girl's shoes are wrong. She has at least 3 inch heels." Aurelia said. She noted it on a piece of paper.

"The guy's polo shirt is tucked out." Ryan said.

"ID's on backwards on the guy, and there's a sticker on the girl's." Nika added. They had two apiece.

"The girl's wearing a colored clip, while the guy had an earring on." Hughes said.

"The girl's socks are too short." Riza pointed out. "Does the skirt comply with the school's rules?"

"Yeah it does." Roy said. "Four for the girl, three for the guy. The pants are too long."

"Alright, we need six more each." Aurelia said. The Green Grove students suddenly burst into the door. Ms. Ramirez asked two more students, this time in the Green Grove uniforms, to stand up and gave them instructions. By the time they had started, they had finished all ten mistakes for the guy.

"We need one more. Take a look closely." Hughes instructed. They all looked at her from head to toe.

"It's her watch." Roy said. "Her watch is too big and has bright colors."Aurelia wrote it down and they showed it to Ms. Ramirez.

"Good job guys." She pulled out their clue from her jacket pocket and handed it to Hughes. "Please step outside and read it." They all bid her goodbye and rushed outside to read the clue in the corridor.

"Who's good with their hands?" Hughes read out. "We need four people."

"Where do we go first?" Nika asked.

"The science lab." They followed Riza to the large science lab on the third floor. They entered the room and saw another teacher standing there, a pack of cards in his hands.

"You are from Fountain I presume?" Riza recognized the teacher as her Biology teacher, Mr. Clark. "Pick out four people. The task you have to do is build a five level pyramid using cards." They all huddled and decided that Aurelia, Nika, Ryan and Ed would do the task for them.

"Step up here." He led them to a lab table and handed Nika a pack of cards. She opened it and shuffled the cards like a pro.

"Amazing, Nika… where did you learn to do that?" Ed asked.

"Played poker and other card games with my cousins. Let's get to work. We lay down the base, and we build up from there. We have to be extremely careful since the cards can fall with just a slight shake." They slowly started, when they had done the first level, they took a breather and stepped away from the table.

"Boy it's hot in here… maybe I'll turn on the fans." Aurelia suggested.

"Wait, Aurelia, don't." Nika warned. "It's okay. We'll make it." Then with that Nika went back to stacking the cards carefully. Ed would hand her the cards, while Ryan and Aurelia made sure that the cards were steady. Once in a while Hughes would look outside and check if they were coming.

"Coast is clear guys, keep up the good work. You're working pretty fast." It was true since they were already working on the third level.

"Are you okay Nika?" Aurelia asked.

"I need someone to remove that strand of hair on my face." She joked, trying to blow that strand of hair away. Ryan, smiling, fixed her hair.

"It was a joke. Haha" Nika replied with a smile. She cautiously finished the third level. Then they heard footsteps coming from the hallway.

"Shoot, they're here now…" Roy muttered. "How are you feeling, Riza?"

"What's with the question? I'm not sick or anything." Riza replied with a laugh. The Green Grove students entered the room, greeted the teacher, got their instructions and immediately started on the task. To Riza's surprise, Michael suddenly sat down beside her on the floor, to her right. Roy was sitting on her left. Hughes eyed them, especially Roy's reaction.

"Go Nika, we're almost there, two more levels." Vic cheered on.

"Card, Ed." Ed handed her another card.

"Hey Riza… how are you feeling?" Michael suddenly asked her. She looked at him.

"You're not mad at me anymore?" She asked, suspicious.

"I'm not mad at you." Michael started.

"Oh really, shouting at her is being not mad at her." Roy suddenly cut in. Riza suddenly faced him.

"Roy, don't do this…" Riza warned him. "You don't have to."

"Maybe you have to cool down, Mustang." Michael suggested.

"Oh really? Funny you should remember my name." Roy said in a slightly angry tone.

"Let's not do this here, Roy. Remember, fair game." Riza told him. She held his hands. "Calm down, it's okay." She could see that Nika was getting shaky as she placed the last two cards on the pyramid.

"Done!" The four shouted at the same time. They ran over to the teacher, and got their clue. Roy stood up, and helped Riza up. Hughes led the two out of the door. She didn't bother saying goodbye.

"Geez, the nerve of that guy." Roy complained.

"Hey Roy, take it easy… concentrate." Hughes told his best friend.

"Whatever… I'll do what it takes to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid." He muttered under his breath.

--

They quickly finished the next three tasks, and soon they were on the last task. They read the clue which told them to back to the pool area.

"Going back to the pool again… hopefully we don't have to jump in." Ed said as he ran.

"Just be ready, whatever happens." Hughes told his team. As they went down the steps, Ed, not watching where he stepped, tripped.

"Oh cra-!" he shouted as he fell. Good thing Hughes, Vic and Roy caught him just in time.

"Yo, watch your step, Ed!" Hughes told him.

"Boy, you are heavy too, Elric. HAHA" Roy commented.

"That's one heck of a crappy payback, Mustang." Ed muttered as they ran to a different teacher. The pool surroundings seemed different, since now there were two poles, one at either end of the pool. Beside one end were coils of rope.

"Hey there, Fountain? I'm Ms. Scott, and this is your last task. Once finished, you will run back to the front of the building where the teachers will be waiting. But before I explain that any further, this task will call for all members of the team. At my signal, you will tie one end of the rope at the top hole then swim to the other side, and secure it at the top hole of the other pole. Then another person will tie the other rope on the bottom hole then swim to the other side and secure the rope. Once done, all members will have to traverse the rope course and get to the other side. If a person falls, they have to repeat it and no other member can go if that person has not successfully traversed the course. There is no time limit; you just have to complete the course as fast as you can. Start preparing for your task."

They went off to their corner and talked about it quickly. Roy and Riza would be the ones to jump in first and secure the ropes at either end. Then, Hughes and Vic and Roy and Riza will step on the rope on either side to balance it, and then everyone else will cross. Then they decided that when all but the four had crossed, four people will take their place so they can cross. When they were done, the girls went to the dressing room to wear the appropriate attire and the guys just took off their shirts.

"This is how you be a man!" Vic joked. The other just laughed.

"You sure you'll be comfy swimming in jogging pants, Ed?" Ryan asked him.

"There's no way in hell that I'm gonna fall into that pool. I am going to get on the other side dry." Ed proudly declared.

"If you say so, shrimp." Roy said with a smirk. As the girls came out, the Green Grove council arrived and were briefed.

"Ma'am! We're starting now." Hughes called out. The teacher blew the whistle around her neck and Roy grabbed the end of the rope and secured it to the top hole.

"Tie it two or three times, Roy!" Ryan called out.

"Roger that." Roy said as he tied the rope . Then he tugged on the rope and seeing that it was secure enough, he jumped into the pool with a loud splash.

"GO ROY!" Everyone cheered as he swam quickly to the other side of the pool. Before he got to the end, Michael had jumped in as well and his team mates were cheering him on.

"Go Michael! He's not far ahead! You can catch him!" Kaitlyn shouted. Roy got out of the pool and then secured the rope. He raised a thumbs up sign and Riza tied the rope on the bottom hole, then after securing it, jumped in. As Riza was swimming, Michael had finished securing the rope, and this time Louisa had jumped in for them. Michael sat down on the ground near Roy. They watched as the two were swimming towards them.

"So… while Riza isn't here yet…" he started, Roy looked at him and his eyes narrowed.

"So you want to talk about her behind her back, how rude." Roy commented turning his gaze back to Riza and his team.

"I don't want to hurt her and you know that."

"I don't want anyone to hurt Riza, period. She's gone through so much, and she doesn't need any more from you." He replied sharply. Riza was nearing the end of the pool.

"You misunderstand." Michael said. Roy just looked at him. Riza touched the wall, and Roy helped her up and tied the rope. Then they stepped on the rope and Hughes and Vic stepped it on the other side. Then Aurelia went first and crossed. She was shaky at first and almost fell, but she regained her balance and successfully crossed the course. Then Nika followed then Stella. Dyan went first before Ed crossed the course. Ed was a bit shaky. By then, Green Grove has three people on the other side since Kaitlyn had fallen into the water.

"Hey Ed, Watch your balance!" Roy shouted. Ed was still near the starting point and he was shaking and rocking back and forth.

"Shut it! I need to concentrate!" Ed shouted. He moved his hands but he slipped and fell into the water. Roy cursed under his breath while Aurelia, Nika and Stella gasped.

"Ed hurry up and swim!" Vic called out to him.

"This ain't easy!" Ed shouted in between coughs. He was having difficulty swimming back. Kaitlyn had gone back for another go. Ed struggled but eventually got back to the start and went for another go. This time he was determined and finished it faster than Kaitlyn. Then Ryan ran over to the other side to replace Vic, who went and crossed the course. Vic, finished quickly and this time, Ed ran to the other side and Hughes crossed. When he was safely on the other side, Roy and Riza went back to the start, and Hughes and Vic replaced them. Riza crossed first, and when she was done, Roy followed. The screaming reached its maximum. Michael, the last person to cross, had gone back to the start after falling. But he swam back fast and went faster. Roy reached the end first, and they all went to get their clue.

"Now that you're done, as a team, run to the starting point. Be careful." Hughes read so fast. "Grab your stuff guys, no time to put shirts back on!" They grabbed their stuff and ran out of the pool area and straight to the front doors of the school.

"Come on guys! We're ahead! I see the doors!" Hughes shouted. There, they could see several students, since it was lunch time. They ran up to the teachers who were holding up a red ribbon. They ran through it and raised their hands in joy.

"Yeah! We did it!" Vic, Ryan and Ed all shouted. They had a quick group hug and waited for the Green Grove team to arrive. They politely applauded them when they arrived and promptly exchanged handshakes and hugs.

"Alright guys, congratulations to the Fountain Hill Council for arriving first! But congratulations also to the Green Grove council for trying their best. Now, the teams will discuss this separately. For now, you can go back and take a rest and refresh yourselves and have lunch. Enjoy your day." Mr. Shaw told them. With a nod, they went their respective ways.

As they were walking, Hughes couldn't help but notice the intimacy between Roy and Riza. As Riza went to ask Aurelia something, he approached Roy.

"Hey, what are you waiting for?" He told his best friend.

"What do you mean?" Roy asked.

"What are you waiting for?? That somebody else asks her out?" Hughes asked.

"It's not like that." Roy simply said.

"Don't tell me you're waiting for a sign, Roy. It may sound corny, but what if you don't get a sign… do you consider that a sign? But what if it's too late?" Hughes told him. Roy didn't answer for a few minutes and he only answered when they got back to the room.

"Alright, alright I get the point. Probably when I muster enough courage to tell her."

--

**END guys! I hope you guys review! :)) I had a tough time writing this. Haha! I hope you R&R since I really enjoy them. Thanks again for reading!**


	24. Secrets of the Heart

**I'm back guys! Yes, I am still on sembreak, so I have a lot of time to write… I still have a fic to write for my friend actually, oh well, but this comes first. *wink wink* I'll do his fic later. Alright, first things first, I would like to thank the people who reviewed for chapters 22 and 23. :) For chapter 22: silver starlight serpant, little miss clueless, vreni, RosieShiba, winglessfairy25, Dragonridingattorney43, Athena's Heart, soulcorsOnManga, laDy_ruLebrEaker, and salamangka14. For chapter 23: little miss clueless, RosieShiba, Dragonridingattorney43, laDy_ruLebrEaker, Athena's heart, rinxxav, I Am The 1****st**** Anonymous and soulcorsOnManga.**

**Hopefully you enjoy chapter 24: Secrets of the Heart.**

**--**

**CHAPTER 24: Secrets of the Heart**

That afternoon, they got together in one of the function rooms and talked about the activity. While waiting for Ms. Ramirez to start the session, they were sitting on the floor playing random games and tricks to amuse themselves. When Ms. Ramirez got inside the room, they all dashed to their respective seats.

"Let me tell you that I am so proud that you did well in today's challenge." Ms. Ramirez started. "For this session, I know it's already your, let's call it, naptime, but we have two things to do. First is that we have to discuss the activity you just had, and second, you have another activity to do." She paused for a moment and looked around the room.

"Turn your chairs around and form a circle, will you guys?" They all stood up and formed a circle. Even Ms. Ramirez was part of that circle.

"Okay, first congratulations, you did very well today. Mr. Elric, how was the water?"

"Considering how cold it is…" Ed said with a slight shiver. "It was fine, Ms. R. I just didn't want to swim that's all."

"I heard you fell." Ms. Ramirez teased. Ed grumbled and slouched in his chair.

"Mr. Sway, I know you're a track member, but I never knew you ran that fast. Maybe next time, when we have errands on the third floor, you can run up there for us." They all laughed.

"Thanks Ms. R." Vic replied.

"And of course, our, ehem, couple in the making." Ms. Ramirez said as she turned to Roy and Riza who were seated beside each other. "You were practically inseparable today."

"I'm just watching out for Riza, Ms. R." Roy answered quickly. Hughes and Ed were whistling and joking around and laughing about his answer.

"What? Is it wrong to care?" Roy defended himself, turning to his friends.

"Alright, we get your point Mr. Mustang… The point of that was for each of you to recognize and play by your strengths. If you can't dance, then why force yourself to dance and make a fool out of yourselves? If you can't sing, do you have to lie just to impress others? Each of you has his or her own talents, and it's great that this council is made up of very unique people. Tell me, how many of you knew that Ms. Green was a poker player?" Only one person raised her hand and that was Aurelia. "See my point? You have many things to offer to your council, and most especially to the student body. You have to show them that you are entirely capable of serving them and fulfilling the role that you were given. Now, let's discuss certain tasks that you were given. First was the Swim and Dive, what do you think did that develop?" Roy raised his hand and he was acknowledged.

"I think for one, there is teamwork. If I alone did the task, without Riza's help, I would be tired and not be able to finish the task. Delegation of work is important, especially in this council, because it helps us get work done faster."

"Well said Mr. Mustang. The entire course, and the training itself is made to build the teamwork in this council. Some of you may know and have worked with each other in the past years, but changes have been made, and we have to work efficiently to serve the student body. I believe, the capsule task was the same, yes? Teamwork. This training stresses the fact that you need teamwork. What was the saying? United we stand…"

"Divided we fall…" They all finished.

"Exactly." Ms. Ramirez replied.

--

When they had finished discussing the race they had, they all went out in the garden. There was an elaborate set-up waiting for them there. In one area were chairs facing each other, and a long piece of cloth was draped over them, forming a small tunnel. The next area had pieces of paper laid down on the ground, forming a small path, and the last had an assortment of obstacles which included chairs, tables and the like. Ms. Ramirez told Hughes and Roy to get one of the tall tables in the lobby of the building. When they came back, they put it in the middle of the garden, away from the first set-up, with enough space for them to sit down in a circle.

"This next activity is made to fortify the trust you have in others and also to help you play by your strengths. Working on this council calls for you to trust your co-council members. If you do not trust them, then all the efforts of the entire council will fail. We divided this into two parts. For the first part, we will be using that mini-obstacle course we have prepared for you. Now there are nine of you on this council. Before we start…" Ms. Ramirez pulled out a contained from her bag containing nine small pieces of paper. She shook it before opening the cover and handing it to Aurelia. "…you each have to pick on strip of paper. Each strip of paper will contain one of the following: blind, mute, and crippled. If you get the papers with the word 'blind', you have to get a blindfold here…" She showed them the blindfolds and placed it on the ground. "…then you will cover your eyes so that you will not see anything. For those who will get the paper saying 'mute', you are not allowed to speak, and lastly, getting the paper with the word 'crippled' means that you cannot walk, or use your feet to get around. Now you have three obstacles that you will have to pass, and no one should be left behind. The first obstacle, the one with the chairs, calls for all of you to crawl under the chairs without pulling the cloth or removing it from its original position. If the cloth falls at any part at any point in the task, you all have to go back and do it again. Once all of you are out of the 'tunnel'…" She made air quotation marks. "…you have to cross this, let's just pretend this is a fast flowing river with crocodiles. You are not supposed to step outside of the pieces of paper on the ground. If you step outside of those papers, then the crocodile will eat you…" she looked around at their reactions. "…alright, you don't fall for the croc thing anymore, but the point is, you must not step outside of the pieces of paper or else you go back. Everyone MUST make it across." She emphasized the must in her sentence. Then she pointed to the last obstacle. The last one is pretty simple, get through the obstacles without turning anything over or moving it and cross the finish line. Only when the last person crosses the finish line will I end this task. Oh and take note, that you guys can help each other as long as you are through with the tasks and you don't disobey any of the rules."

They looked at each other and talked about it with one another. Ms. Ramirez suddenly pulled out a timer from her pocket.

"And I forgot to mention… you're going to be timed." She said with a wide grin.

"You're not serious!" Ed exclaimed.

"Oh yes I am… we're going to compare your time to Green Grove's time." She replied.

"They're going to have the same activity?" Riza asked.

"Yes, that's why don't destroy anything… we're short of some of the materials." Ms. Ramirez said with a small laugh. "Alright, you can now get a piece of paper from the container." Aurelia picked out one then passed it around. When they all had one piece each, they read it at the same time.

"Group yourself according to what you got." Ms. Ramirez told them. Stella, Aurelia and Ryan all got 'Blind', Riza, Ed and Nika got 'Crippled' and Roy, Hughes and Vic got 'Mute'. They were all instructed to proceed to the starting line.

"From this point on, all those who are mute cannot speak, all those who are blind have to wear this blindfold, and all those who are crippled cannot use their feet to get around. Riza, Ed and Nika sat down on the ground and crossed their legs. Stella, Aurelia and Ryan were walking around, hoping not to bump into anything as they walked.

"Hey Stella, don't wander off!" Ed called out. Hughes went over to get her and led her back to the starting line.

"Guys, you ready?" Ms. Ramirez asked. They all nodded yes. "Go!" Hughes, Roy and Vic first crawled under, careful not to hit the cloth.

"Hughes, head down!" Ed shouted. "Must be an advantage now being small eh?!" He called out.

"Mr. Mustang, no comments!" Ms. Ramirez warned as she looked at the stop watch. The first three got through okay.

"Who's going through next?" Riza asked. Hughes, Roy and Vic looked at each other before Hughes pointed to Aurelia's group. Hughes and Roy stood up and went over to Aurelia's group. Hughes got her hand and led her over to the beginning of the course. Then he made her crouch down and he went in front of her. He crouched down, and holding her hand, he went through the course, leading Aurelia. Roy followed with Stella and then Hughes went back for Ryan. When they were done, the three who were left made their way to the beginning of the course and lay down on their bellies before using their elbows (their legs still crossed) to make their way through the course.

"Damn, this is difficult." Ed grumbled.

"Oh stop it Ed. Imagine the people who really have this kinds of disabilities." Nika told him.

"But-"

"Just crawl Ed!" Nika told him once more. When they were out, they sat down on the ground. Once more, Roy and his group went ahead and crossed the path. When they were done, Hughes went back to fetch Aurelia. From the starting point, Hughes made Aurelia step her right foot just where he wanted it to be.

"Aurelia, Stella and Ryan, don't be surprised if they have to lift your legs to the right spots okay?" Riza told them. The three just nodded. When Aurelia was safe on the other side, Roy and Victor went back and did the same.

"Mr. Mustang watch your foot!" Ms. Ramirez called out.

Once six of them were on the other side, they were thinking on how to go back for the last three. Hughes and Vic went back and crossed their arms, creating some sort of chair and they made Ed sit down.

"Now I'm feeling like a king!" Ed said with a large smile on his face.

"Don't get too used to it Ed! Hughes might drop you!" Aurelia said, her face split into a smile, despite being blindfolded.

"Mr. Hughes, watch your footing!" Hughes was motioning to Victor and almost dropped Ed.

"Watch the hands Hughes! Don't leave an open space or Ed might fall flat on his butt." Nika told them. Despite not being able to speak, Roy had a smirk on his face as if saying, 'haha serves you right'. Once Ed was safely on the other side, Hughes and Vic went back to the other side, still crossing the path.

"You didn't have to drop me!" Ed shouted. Hughes just shrugged, a grin on his face. They did the same for Nika and went back. When she was safe on the other side, Maes and Vic sat down, visibly exhausted.

"Hey Mustang, I think that means you go back for Riza." Ed said with a smirk on his face. Roy eyes narrowed and he breathed out before heading over to the other side. Once there he sat down beside Riza and thought.

"No time to think, Mustang! Just carry her and get back here!" Ed shouted. Roy looked at him s if he was trying to say "You think this is easy do you?" he then crouched down and motioned for Riza to get on his back.

"You sure you can take me?" Riza asked him with a soft smile. He nodded and she got on his back. She held her hands so that she won't fall and they crossed the path. Ed was catcalling much to the amusement of the others. Once they were both on the other side, Roy still carried Riza to the last task and the others followed.

"Good job guys, almost there! You're clocking in at ten minutes any moment now." Ms. Ramirez called out. For the third task, they did the same thing, Hughes and his group went ahead, then went back to lead Aurelia's group. Then Hughes, Vic and Roy went back for the last three. Hughes carried Nika on his back, Ed on Vic's back and Riza on Roy's.

"You sure you're okay Roy?" Riza asked him. He nodded. When they both got there, they all sat down, and Ms. Ramirez stopped the clock.

"Good work guys! You can now remove your blindfolds, you can now speak and you can now walk. Good job! Your time is twelve minutes and forty-five seconds. Rest for a moment and we'll continue with the next task."

"You liked that didn't you Mustang?" Ed asked with a smirk.

"Say one more word about that and I'll personally pulverize you." Roy warned him.

"Lighten up best friend… he's just teasing. Nothing wrong with that, this is teamwork guys. Group hug!" Hughes called out and they stood up and hugged each other.

"Hey Roy…" Riza said softly.

"Yeah?" Roy asked as he sat down beside her.

"Thanks… so sorry if you might have thought I was heavy." Riza said with a smile.

"You're not heavy! Who are you kidding? It's okay, really. You're a friend of mine and I care for you." Roy replied.

"Yeah…" was all Riza could say.

Once they were well rested, they went back to where the lone table was. They all gathered around Ms. Ramirez and listened for the instructions.

"This will further fortify your trust. Now, one by one, you will get on top of the table, and the others will form a sort of cushion. Now you will have to fall back from the table, and your council mates will catch you. Is that clear? You will not face them; your back is the one facing them. Don't worry, they won't drop you or they will face disciplinary action. Let's start with the ladies…"

"Youngest first then." Aurelia said. Stella, slightly nervous, got on top of the table with help from Hughes and Vic. Then the rest formed a sort of bed with their hands and arms.

"Whenever you're ready Stella!" Hughes called out.

"Cross your arms, Stella!" Ms. Ramirez told her. She did as she was told and closed her eyes, then she let herself fall. When she opened her eyes, she was safe in the arms of her council mates. She smiled as she got up and her council mates let her down.

"Thanks so much guys!" Stella said, beaming.

After Stella, Aurelia and Nika went ahead and were the next to be caught. Both said thank you after they were caught.

Then it was Riza's turn.

"Hey, Ms. R. can Roy be the only one to catch her? I'm sure Mustang can do it!" Ed teased.

"Oh shut it."

"Oh come on Roy, be a sport." Aurelia said.

"Help her up Roy!" Hughes told him, and like a gentleman, Roy helped Riza up onto the table.

"Thanks…" Riza told him. Roy positioned himself at the end, and without hesitation, Riza threw herself off the table. When she opened her eyes, her reddish brown eyes met his dark blue ones. The others had smiles on their faces, and they looked at the two dearly.

"Any moment now you can put Ms. Hawkeye down, guys." Ms. Ramirez said, an amused look on her face.

"Ms. R, Roy wants to look into her eyes first." Vic said with a laugh. They all laughed and they all let her down. Riza straightened out her shirt.

"Thanks…" She said in a soft voice.

"Don't mention it, I'm always willing to catch you when you fall." Roy told her so that only she could hear.

"No more corny lines, Roy."

--

That night, they had all decided to bond again in one room, still Roy and Hughes' room. They were all lying around, thinking of tomorrow's activities and just relaxing and having fun. After a while, Riza went back to her room, and Roy followed her.

"What are you going to do?" Roy said as he closed the door and saw Riza rummaging through her bags. She removed the letters from one of the pockets and showed it to Roy.

"Ah… of course." She sat down on the bed and asked him to sit beside her.

"How many letters have you read?" He asked.

"Just one… my father's last letter."She replied quietly. She looked at the letters in her hand.

"Which one are you going to read now?"

"I don't know, you pick." She said with a smile, looking at him.

"You're making me pick what letter you're going to read?" Roy said with a small chuckle. She shrugged and just held out the letters to him. "Alright then, you said so… don't blame me if you suddenly tear up and break down… although I wouldn't want you crying… you look prettier with a smile."

"Enough compliments, just pick it." Riza replied with a smile. Roy picked the one in the middle and handed it to her.

"Let's see what the lucky envelope has for us." Roy quipped.

"Is the door locked?" Riza cautiously asked.

"Yeah it is… don't worry, they'll be talking until way later." Roy said. Riza nodded before her fingers carefully ripped open the envelope. The letter was now brownish in color, indicating that it was written and sealed away long ago. When Riza opened the folded letter, her eyes welled with tears and her hands trembled and gripped the sides of the paper.

"Who is it from?" Roy asked softly.

"My…mother." She replied. Roy fell silent and looked at the neat handwriting. He saw the date, years back. He did a bit of mental math and discovered the letter was written when Riza was six.

"This was before she died?" he asked softly. It took her a moment to answer, and he understood.

"It was written… just days before she died." She replied, her voice slightly breaking.

"Hey no need to tell me if you don't want to… no need to tell me of the details, I understand."

"She may have known that she was going to die." Riza said as tears slowly flowed down her face. "I didn't want her to die… I was young then, I miss her so much." Roy pulled her in for a hug.

"Hey, no more tears okay? Your mom and dad wouldn't want you to be sad." He told her. "They're smiling down at you from heaven… trust me, they're in a better place and they're happy. They're both watching out for you…" He looked at her face and wiped the tears away. "So stop crying… wouldn't you want to know what your mother wanted to tell you? There's still a world of possibilities waiting for you. So smile. We're all here for you. I'm here for you." At this Riza smiled and wiped the tears away. With a deep breath, she opened the letter fully and read the contents. She hadn't seen her mother's clean and neat handwriting in years. As much as it pained her heart just remembering her, she kept in mind what Roy said.

'_They're in a better place… they're happy… and they want to see you happy.' _

"Would you like me to read aloud?" Riza asked. Roy raised a hand

"No need… you read it first… I'll just sit here quietly." He told her. And with that she started reading the letter.

_Riza my dear…_

_I have just tucked you into bed, and now I am just writing this letter. Your father will be coming back tomorrow from his research abroad. I am happy that he will be home… home for you and me. These past days, I have felt uneasy… I feel that something will happen. _

_I fear that I may no longer see you grow up. What a shame, you are such a wonderful and sweet daughter, I cannot ask for more. I remember, you asked me before how come you do not have siblings of your own. It pains me but I couldn't bear tell you before. You were too young to understand… hopefully, when you read this letter you will be old enough to understand. I wanted to have more children… so that you have someone to play with and you can be happy with a playmate. But there are complications, and after giving birth to you, I had problems with conceiving, and I could no longer bear another child. I'm sorry… I'm sorry that you couldn't have another sibling. I was heartbroken. I'm sorry that I couldn't tell you. _

_I am sorry that I couldn't tell you a lot of things… you were far too young. I know that you will grow up into a fine woman who is smart and talented. I can see you going places and leading others. You're special and my only little girl. I am sorry if sometimes I get mad at you… you may not understand, but know that I, and your father, love you very, very much. We cannot and will not trade you for anyone else. Simply seeing you smile, laugh and live is enough to make me happy. _

_I wish for you to grow up, a beautiful, young and respected woman. I know that you will be all these in the near future. I am always here for you, Riza my dear. I will never leave you._

_All my love,_

_Your Mother_

Riza silently folded the letter when she was finished reading it. She handed it to Roy who quickly read it then gave it back to her. They were both silent for a few minutes.

"Your mother seems nice…" Roy said, not thinking.

"She was very nice, I loved her a lot." Riza said as she put the letter back into the envelope. "I was really upset when she died… it was so sudden. But basing from the letter, she knew… she felt it. And she… she…"

"She chose not to tell anyone." Roy finished for her. "Sometimes, the people who love us do not tell us the things that bother them the most… because they know that we will get hurt or get worried for their sakes. They don't want that. I'm sure your mother didn't want that for you either…" he told her softly.

"But I wish… I wish that she did tell someone. Something would have stopped her and everything would have changed."

"But if that changed, everything else will change… you may not have lost your dad, you may have a happy family… you wouldn't have met…. Me… maybe." He said looking at her.

"I never thought of that…" Riza softly said. "I may have been too involved with my own selfish ambitions."

"People are like that… we can't stop that. It's innate. But, if we were destined to meet, then we let it be… although it's not up fate to always decide that for us… we have to prove it to the world that we were meant to be."

"It's probably hard proving it to Michael." Riza joked.

"Oh that guy has it coming… he thinks that what he didn't wasn't meant to hurt you. Who is that guy kidding?!" Roy argued. "He has guts saying that… the next time he says something like that, I'm going to take action."

"Hey calm down, Roy… it's not worth getting so worked up on." Riza said laughing. "I'm just glad to know that you care…"

"I care, and I will never let anything happen to you."

"I care too, a lot… I've never met a guy like you Roy…"

--

**Woo! So sorry to end there… :) I'll be posting chap 25 soon… hopefully before the sem starts. :) I can do it and I have a plot na which involves skipping to their last days in the school. That includes the mini-date thing *whoops spoiler* **

**Hope you guys liked it and please, please do review! Hugs and kisses! **


	25. Because I Love You

**Hey guys, I am back and still writing! I am back with chapter 25… writing seems to get my mind off things. :) First, I'd like to thank my classmate Mark Sanchez for sending me those text messages with the cheesy love quotes… I edited it a bit so it would be fitting. Next, A very belated happy birthday to Little Miss Clueless! And I also realized, on Nov. 4, 2007, I started High School Life! So it's HSL's second birthday! :)) lol**

**So I would like to thank: Athena's Heart, RosieShiba, AnimeFreakDass, little miss clueless, byuchuu, rinxxav, and Dragonridingattorney43. I now bring you Chapter 25 of High School Life: Because I Love You.**

**--**

**CHAPTER 25: Because I Love You**

The days went by fast and soon they were nearing the day when they were going to return to their homes. On Friday, they were all excused from class and they were taken around the landmarks near the school. They saw beautiful springs and rivers, with their clear waters and refreshing coolness. They sat there on the rocks, just dipping their feet in the water.

"This is relaxing…" Nika said, very relieved.

"Agreed… we should go here more often!" Ryan said with a laugh.

"The water's so cool…" Hughes commented. "What do you think Roy?"

"It's beautiful here. Have you been here before Riza?" Roy answered before asking Riza his question. She looked at him and smiled.

"Yeah many times when I was a child… my parents used to take me here just for fun. When I grew up, usually I went here with my friends." She answered, looking at particularly nothing, seemingly lost in her fond memories.

"Hey Roy…" Hughes whispered, calling his friend's attention.

"What?"

"Did you tell her?"

"No." He simply replied.

"I'm telling you Roy… you go tell her how you feel before something else happens. Once something that you don't like happens, you can't change it anymore." Hughes told him, wiping dry his glasses.

"You know what Hughes… I think she knows…" he said silently.

"She knows that you like her?" Hughes clarified.

"Yeah… I mean, there's nothing wrong with that. She's a great friend… and she needs all the support she can get."

"Hmm, she gets you on your soft side…" Hughes said with a laugh. "I've never seen you so happy with a girl."

They both fell silent and all of them sat there on the rocks listening to the sounds of nature. When they were about to leave, Hughes told Roy something that made him think.

"You know what… I'm happy for you. I know that you're happy because she completes you."

--

When Saturday came, they were allowed to explore on their own. Some of them went to the mall (with some directions from Riza), while some of them, which included Roy, Riza, Hughes and Ed opted to go to the small park not far from the mall.

"Don't worry, we'll be there… we'll meet you guys later." Roy assured the others as they went their separate ways. As they walked to the park, they discussed what they were going to do.

"What's there in the park?" Ed asked, his hands in his pockets.

"Well there's a street surrounded by trees that make some sort of arch and people love to walk and ride bikes through there. We can rent bikes." Riza suggested.

"Maybe you and Mustang can share." Ed said, suggesting his own idea with a chortle, earning him a smile from Riza, a laugh from Hughes and a glare from Roy.

"Easy on the comments, Edward…" Hughes cautioned. "Alright, we can do that. We can go biking then?"

"There's a place where you can play catch or whatever."

"Can you rent balls too?" Ed asked.

"Yeah you can. There's a shack there that rents out a lot of things you can do."

"Ooh… cool!" Ed said running ahead. "Hurry up, I can't wait!"

"Hey shrimp, stop acting like a kid!" Roy called out. This got an instant reaction from Ed.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING SHRIMPY?!"Ed shouted reacting instantly.

"Yo, calm down…" Hughes said putting his hands on Ed's shoulders and steering him away. "Let the lovebirds have a moment to their own." Hughes said his voice dropping to a whisper, with a smile on his face.

The two walked side by side to the park, their hands brushing against each other once in a while.

"You look good in those clothes… and your hair, you should wear it down more often." Roy commented. She looked at him and smiled. She was wearing a simple light blue blouse, a free flowing white skirt with simple flower designs, and a pair of brown sandals. Her hair was made neat by a brown, cloth headband with small flowers on the sides.

"Thanks… Aurelia lent me the headband." She replied.

"It suits you." He added. "Maybe I'll get you some of your own… the blue really brings out the color of your eyes."

"Thanks… that's sweet of you." Riza replied, smiling, her face turning slightly pink.

"It's a great day today… we'll be going home soon."

"You seem excited… then next week we'll be back at Fountain doing work and studying. We did miss a lot." Riza said with a small laugh.

"True… but we can catch up, we help each other. After all we are classmates, and we can get help from others too."

"Of course…" Riza said as they entered the park gates. It was bustling with people, but still very beautiful. There was a small path leading up to different places around in the park. One thing they all noted was it was so green. There were plants everywhere. Many kinds of trees and beautiful flowers were on both sides of the path. There were benches to sit on, children were playing in the open areas, and some were having a picnic not far away. There was so much happening all at the same time, but one can note the happiness in the air. Riza showed them were the bike stand was and they rented four bikes. Hughes, Ed, and Roy chose bikes colored blue, red and black respectively, while Riza chose a bicycle that was light purple in color.

"You sure you can bike in a skirt?" Roy asked her.

"Do not underestimate me, Roy Mustang… I can do things you would never do." Riza said playfully, a grin on her face as she got on her bike and rode off. After standing there dumbly for a few moments (and after Hughes and Ed laughed at him), they all rode off and followed her. She was right, the trees in the area formed some sort of arch. The leaves of some of the trees were falling to the ground, and some made a crunching sound as they rolled past it.

"Hey Riza wait up!" Roy called out, before speeding up to catch up to her. Soon they were biking side by side. Hughes and Ed decided to maintain their distance and just looked at the two having so much fun together.

"Why you finally caught up!" Riza said happily.

"Oh come on, what's with the sarcasm?" Roy asked.

"Nothing, I just wanted to play around… I can be a kid sometimes can't I?" Riza asked.

"I told you… you looked much better and prettier with a smile on your face." Roy told her, changing the subject. A tinge of pink appeared on Riza's cheeks.

"You flatterer. I've never had to much fun in my life!" She exclaimed happily. Roy just smiled. It was great to see her smiling and enjoying herself. These moments were precious, and he knew that it would help her a lot.

"There's a hill not far from here… maybe we can go there later, after we play a little catch or tag or something." Riza told him.

"Sure, we have to tell Hughes first." Roy said and the two of them turned around and called out to Hughes and Ed. The two went to the sides and waited for Hughes and Ed to get there.

"What's up my dear couple?" Hughes asked. Ed snickered, earning him yet another glare from Roy.

"Come on Mustang, don't deny it." Ed grumbled.

"I'll deny what I want to deny." Roy answered. "Do you want to go biking another round then go over to the field to play some tag or something? Riza also says that there's a small hill there… we can go there and take pictures or something."

"Sure thing, great idea! Then we can meet up with the rest, have some snacks then perhaps get back to the school before the sun sets." Hughes answered flashing a thumbs up sign.

"Hey Mustang! You up for a little race? I bet that you can't beat me over to that signpost over there." Ed challenged before pointing to a signpost.

"You're on." Roy answered. "Maybe your short legs can't take the speed."

"Oh shut up! I'm going to make you eat your words." Ed challenged.

"Then show me." Roy retorted.

"You're on Mustang!" Ed said as he biked over to a starting point. "We'll start here.." Ed said as he biked over to his desired spot. Roy shrugged and just followed him there. Hughes and Riza just stayed there looking, very amused, at the two.

"Are they always like this?" Riza asked, one foot on the ground, and one on the bike pedal to steady herself.

"Yup, ever since those two became friends."

"I see…"

"Hey Hughes!" Ed called out. "We need a marker. Go bike over there, will ya? I'm gonna show Mustang that I can beat him at something." Hughes shrugged and biked over to where wanted him to be.

"We now need someone to give the signal." Roy calmly said, turning to face Riza. She got the message, smiled and went in between the two.

"Okay… let's see. Rules are simple, go to where Hughes is, turn around and bike back here I suppose? And let's be fair, gentlemen." Riza said, not noticing the glares the two were giving each other. They just nodded when she turned to face them. Riza raised her hand.

"Okay, when you're ready… GO!" Riza said as she brought her hand down, and it seemed like Roy just blasted out of there. He definitely had the advantage, but Ed wasn't too far behind.

"Dammit Mustang, I'm going to show you!" Ed shouted, pedaling even faster. Roy took no notice and just blazed ahead.

"Then you have to do a lot more, Ed!"Roy shouted back. A few moments later, Roy already turned around and was biking back towards Riza.

"Hey, no fair!" Ed shouted.

"I wasn't doing anything unfair, Edward!" Roy taunted. "You're just too slow for me, shrimp!" When he said that, it was like Ed had a sudden burst of inspiration and pedaled faster. He was almost near Roy but it was far too late. Roy had crossed the 'finish line' and raised his hands in triumph. Ed accepted defeat, but not without an argument.

"No fair… there was an unfair advantage in height." Ed complained.

"Excuse me, you're the one who called the challenge, not me. You should have taken that into consideration." Roy said smugly. "Don't be too bitter that you lost."

"I am not bitter!" Ed argued.

"You are." Roy replied. Riza and Hughes could do nothing but sigh. Those two can be so childish sometimes and they couldn't help it.

"Alright, forget about it let's go for some tag!" Ed said, changing the subject and biked off to go to the field area.

"He's just bitter." Roy said behind Ed's back before biking off to follow him. Riza and Hughes followed the two.

--

When they got to the field, they first sat on the grass, just looking around. When they were into it, they chased each other around the area, but gave up a little later on, as playing tag wasn't really fun with only four people playing. They sat back down on the grass and just did nothing.

"Whoops, I got a text." Hughes said whipping out his cell phone. He read the message in silence. "It's Aurelia… you guys up for a movie she asks… then we can all go to the field later after the movie."

"Sure, no problem, is there an arcade inside?" Ed asked.

"Yes there is." Riza said. "Why do you ask?"

"Nothing… I just need a venue to vent out my feelings." Ed replied, intending for them to laugh. Still laughing, all four of them got up, got the bikes, biked back and returned the bikes. Then they set off to the mall to be with their council mates.

When they got there, they first got a bite to eat and decided to go to the arcade first when they saw that the movie they wanted to watch was scheduled for later in the afternoon.

"We have to be back at the school before dinner… so around seven?" Nika stated.

"Yeah…" Hughes said as they entered the busy and noisy arcade. Riza, knowing the policies of the arcade, purchased cards for them.

"Aren't you going to play Riza?" Ed asked.

"No thanks.. I think it'll just burn my money if I play." Riza said with a smile.

"Alright then…" Ed said as he got his card and dashed off. She gave the other cards to Hughes, Roy, Vic, Ryan and Aurelia.

"How about you guys?" Roy asked.

"We'll just watch." Riza said.

"Riza, you can use my card too." Roy replied. "Don't worry, we can play a two player shooting game. You like that?" 

"Well if it's okay with you, then fine, I'll play." Riza said smiling and Roy took her hand and led her off to the area where most of the shooting games were.

"Oh how romantic…" Aurelia swooned in a dreamy voice.

"Are you kidding me? There's nothing romantic with an arcade." Nika said with a laugh.

--

Riza and Roy had a blast playing games together. And the others definitely noticed it.

"What is he doing?" Ed asked Hughes as they passed the two.

"Don't stare, Edward, that's rude… he likes her isn't it obvious."

"Oh heck yeah… but why can't he just tell her directly?"

"Let everything take its course…" Hughes replied. "The time will come."

"What are you a fortune teller?"

"Shut up, I'm being serious." Hughes said with a laugh. "Come on, let's play another fighting game."

--

They watched the movie afterwards and went off to get a bite to eat after the movie. And as promised, Riza led them all to the hill area where people go to watch the sunset. The wind was blowing again, making it even chillier. When they got to the hill, it was quiet, not too many people were there. But the scenery was breathtaking.

"It's beautiful… it's different to see things like this." Aurelia said. They all sat on the grounds, but some of them, like Roy and Riza opted to go a little farther away from where the others are.

"This is my favorite spot…" Riza told Roy as they approached a small grassy area with little purple flowers. "I don't really mind the flowers… I didn't think they'd still be here." Riza said smiling. They both sat down, making sure they wouldn't crush any of the flowers. For moments, the two said nothing and just looked at the sun setting and the clouds. The sky was a beautiful shade of red and orange. It was calming and soothing overall.

"Are you going to go back to your house before you leave?" Roy asked later on, looking at her. She turned and thought for a moment.

"I guess not… maybe if I do, I might get caught. I'll just bring the dress anyway… if I get caught, my aunts will get really mad."

"Who cares about them? They never treat you well." Roy commented.

"But Roy, they're my only family… even if they don't like me, they're family."

"And your grandfather?"

"Living with one of my aunts. Maybe he'll come visit me someday. He promised me." Riza said smiling.

"You should introduce me to your grandfather someday."

"Maybe I will." Riza replied. Then silence fell once more and was only broken when Riza spoke up once more.

"Hey Roy…"

"Mm?"

"I… I want to thank you."

"For what?" Roy asked, lying down on the grass.

"For being there. For being one of the best friends I found at Fountain. I never thought that I'd meet someone like you."

"And I thought I'd never meet someone like you. I always thought meeting the right one was left to fate or destiny… maybe it is." Roy muttered. Riza was slightly puzzled by his last statement.

"I'm probably not the best friend… you know, I'm kind of troubled by all these." Riza said, making up an excuse.

"You may be troubled, but that's why I'm here. Even if you have flaws, I don't care. Everyone has their own flaws. Even me… You may not be perfect… you know in everything, but come to think of it, there are some things… a lot of things that… won't be perfect without you." He said looking at her and smiling. She felt a different sensation inside of her. She didn't recognize what it was. It was the first time she felt like that.

"For once in your life, you aren't that much corny, Roy." She replied smiling.

"Which means I'm improving." Roy said smiling back.

"But you still have a lot to learn." Riza pointed out.

"As I said, I have flaws." Roy replied shrugging. "You know… we've only met a few months ago, but you're one of the best female friends I've had. You're someone I can depend on."

"And I can depend on you completely… I'm glad to have someone who supports me and someone to support. I know that you will never fail me, you'll be going places, I can see it." Riza replied.

"And so will you. You're one of the smartest, sweetest girls I've ever met."

"That's so sweet of you…" Riza said. She paused before continuing. Inside, she felt that she really had to tell him how she felt. "Roy…"

"Yeah?"

"When I first met you, you stood out."

"And so did you."

"You immediately made me feel like I belonged there… that it was best that I was there." She paused again and didn't look at him. She took a deep breath and looked once more into his dazzling, dark blue eyes. "I think that I really… really like you." At that, he smiled and gave her a hug. At that point, he whispered into her ear.

"Hughes has been telling me to tell you, but I was waiting for the right time… I think this is it." Roy whispered to her ear. "When I first met you, you were quiet yeah, but not like other girls in the school. You were very different…" they broke apart and he held her hand, but still spoke softly.

"I feel that I'm a different person with you around… maybe because you are different."

"Maybe I had a different outlook in life with you around." Riza softly replied.

"Maybe we both changed because we both had feelings for each other. I'll tell you this now, even if I only met you a few months ago, I feel that you're the one, among the girls, who has made the greatest impact on me."

Before he could say anything more, Hughes called out to them from the distance. They were all getting up to leave and return to the school since it was getting dark already.

"Hey yo lovebirds! Come on, we're leaving… Ms. R. wants us back on campus!"

"Yeah, alright coming!" Roy shouted back. He stood up, and helped her get up. "Riza…" he said as he held on to her hand. "Before we leave this place, let me tell you, that you've changed me a lot, and maybe I feel like this… because…. Because I love you so much."

--

**And I end it there once more, LOL. :)) if you guys liked it, drop me a review! I love reading it! I'll be updating soon, although the second semester at my college will be starting soon, so I'll try to find time to update. **

**All the best guys!**


	26. A Broken Heart

**Hello there guys! Forgive me for not updating… school has started, and it's hectic now… So I will try to update once in a while… a big, big thanks to people who reviewed! I got at least 14 for chapter 25 alone! THANK YOU SO MUCH. I appreciated them so much. :)**

**And yes, now I am back with chapter 26… I hope you enjoy it as well, and please, review if you can. :) **

**--**

**CHAPTER 26: A Broken Heart**

The entire council got back just in time for dinner. Ms. Ramirez was waiting for them in the dining hall, and when they got there, the entire Green Grove council and some teachers were there too. Some Green Grove council members stood up and greeted them with hugs. Stella became such good friends with Andreia, Francis, Ryan and Victor were in one table and were busy chatting and exchanging stories. Everyone was in a good mood as they waited for the food to be served. Roy, Hughes, Riza and Ed were left standing up, mingling with Kaitlyn and Luisa. Then someone interrupted the happy chatter.

"Mind if I join you guys?" It was Michael. Kaitlyn smiled and allowed him inside the small circle.

"Maybe it would be better if we all sat down now… it wouldn't be nice if we were blocking the way." Roy suggested.

"Good point." Kaitlyn replied with a smile and they all went over to a table. Roy decided to go ahead, wishing to pull out a chair for Riza. Michael, who wanted to spend as much time now with Riza walked faster and almost collided with Roy as they got to the table. They tried to make nothing of it, but they both accidentally knocked over a chair and it fell to the floor with a loud crash. Silence fell in the dining hall and everyone was looking at them. Hughes and Ed were on the verge of letting out loud laughs, while Kaitlyn, Riza and Luisa had expressions of shock on their faces.

"Sorry… my bad." Roy softly said, as he returned the chair to its original position. At that, the happy chatter returned and the rest sat down. Michael had no choice but to sit grumpily beside the chair Roy intended for Riza.

"Riza." Roy said as he pulled out a chair for her.

"Thanks, Roy…" Riza smiled sweetly, a pink tinge appearing on her cheeks. When they were both seated, their conversation continued.

"So… Riza, you sure you don't want to spend one more day here?" Kaitlyn asked.

"As much as I would like to do so, unfortunately, I have to get back to work…" Riza explained. "I have a lot to catch up too, since we're running out of time."

"I see… I do hope that sometimes you come back here for a visit." Kaitlyn added. Riza just nodded with a smile.

"Riza…" Michael interjected. She turned to him, and Roy's eyes immediately narrowed.

"I was wondering if you'd like to come over… you know, like say hi to my mom. She's been dying to see you… remember that she and your mom were…"

"Good friends… Yes Mike, I remember." Riza said. "As much as I would like to accept, I don't think Ms. Ramirez will allow it."

"I will not allow what?" A voice interjected from behind. They all turned and saw Ms. Ramirez standing behind them.

"Oh, good evening Ms. Ramirez. I was wondering if you would allow Riza to visit my parents for a while… Her parents and mine were very close… I'll make sure she gets back here before nine."

"I see… I don't see a problem with that. After dinner then. Make sure she will be back here before nine. However, if I need Riza here before nine, I will ask someone to fetch her. Please leave your address with me." Ms. Ramirez instructed.

"Of course…" Michael nodded, very happy, and took out a small notebook from his pocket and scribbled his address on it. After he tore out the page and handed it to Ms. Ramirez. Ms. Ramirez nodded and went back to her seat as soon as the food arrived.

They ate dinner in silence. It was evident that Michael was smiling. Roy was in a rather bad mood following that. The last thing he needed was him having an 'alone time' with Riza.

"Roy." Hughes whispered. Roy raised an eyebrow as if to say 'what?'"

"You look jealous." Hughes said with a wide grin.

"Shut up."

"I'm serious…. Just admit it."

"This is not the time for this, Hughes."

"What are we talking about here?" Ed interrupted.

"Oh butt out, Elric. I'm not talking to you."

"Sorry that you're such a grouch, Mustang. If it's something about your love life, then I'm interested."

"Shut up." Riza let out a fake cough as if warning them. Their voices dropped further into a whisper.

"None of your business, Ed." Roy snarled.

"Excuse me… I'll just go get my coat so we can be on our way, Mike." Riza said as she stood up. She wasn't smiling, but she didn't look very angry either.

"Alright. I'll meet you in the front hall. I'll just tell Mr. Shaw that we'll go ahead." Michael said.

"Excuse me as well." Roy said as he stood up.

"Leaving so soon, Roy?" Kaitlyn asked, looking up from her dessert.

"I'm not feeling quite well… maybe tired. I think I'll rest in my room." He replied.

"Oh… I hope you'll feel better!" Luisa wished.

"Thank you, Luisa." Roy said.

"Hey, I'll come with you…" Riza said as they both left the dining hall. They were both silent as they walked up the stairs.

"Riza…"

"Mm."

"Take care of yourself. If it's past nine, I'll get the address from Ms. R. and fetch you myself."

"No need to over-react Roy. Mike's not going to push me off a cliff." Riza said with a small laugh.

"I'm not over-reacting." Roy said, very serious, as he held her hand. "I love you a lot, and I won't like it if he makes you sad."

"Oh dear… don't over-react. Calm down… Mike is a friend of mine, and I think my parents would have liked me to visit them."

"I know but…"

"Roy Mustang, I love you too. There's no need to worry about me, remember, my dad left me on my own when I was younger… surely I can keep myself safe." Riza assured him with a smile as she entered her room.

After Riza retrieved her coat, she knocked on Roy's door. He opened the door, looking very tired.

"You really do look sick… better rest, Roy. I'm going now." Riza told him.

"Be safe." He said as he opened the door and hugged her tight.

"Geez Roy… I'm not going to die." Riza laughed. Roy still looked so serious. "Lighten up… see you in a while. Rest alright." She said with a smile as she went down the stairs. Roy didn't close the door until she completely disappeared from his view.

--

"Ready?" Michael was waiting for Riza by the door.

"Yeah…"

"It's just a short walk… you remember right?" He asked her as they left the building.

"Of course I do."

"Right then…" Michael said softly, slightly disappointed.

--

The walk to Michael's house was uneventful. Riza said very little, and Michael couldn't find the courage or the words to say to Riza.

"Um, the sky's pretty clear tonight so you can see the stars." Michael said, without thinking. Riza turned to him.

"I know."

"Um, so, why'd you move without telling me?"

"Are we going back to that issue again?" Riza replied with a sigh.

"No, um, it's just that…"

"You know, I noticed that you've changed, from the first time you confronted me about that and now. Remember, you were shouting at me before, and now, you're mellow, and acting all sweet."

"Riza, I know I acted dumb the last time, just allow me to explain myself."

"Okay, fine, let's talk then. Go on, explain before we get to your house." Riza said, her expression showing slight annoyance.

"You see, I acted that way because when you left, I thought I lost my best friend. I mean, I love you a lot, we grew up together, and I couldn't accept that some as strong as you would submit to the wishes of your aunts. I mean, if your parents were alive, you wouldn't do that."

"Exactly my point, if my parents were alive. But they're not, Michael, and I think my aunts just wanted the best for me."

"Maybe they just wanted you out of the way."

"I know they don't like me, but to keep them happy, I just obey. My grandfather doesn't like the idea, but either way, neither of us have a choice. Don't get mad, I think it's for the best. I'm happy now anyway."

"But I'm not." Michael protested, and Riza looked at him once more.

"You know I always wondered what went into your mind. What you thought of me." Michael continued softly. "I wondered if you thought I was being nice to you and all that."

"Mike, you're such a good friend, and I'll never forget you, no matter the distance."

"I think that's all I'll ever be… a friend." Michael said sadly as they entered the front gate of his house. He took out a key from his pocket and opened the door. Immediately, Riza noticed the change in his expressions. He became happy and lively.

"Hey mom, dad! I'm home and Riza's here!" Michael called out.

"In the dining room son." His father called out.

"May I take your coat?" Michael asked. Riza obliged, took off her coat and gave it to him. Then she followed him into the dining room. It was exactly as Riza remembered it when she was last there, and that was so long ago. The light blue curtains were drawn, and the lights, bright as ever. The beautiful paintings that his mother painted when she was younger still hung on the walls. Immediately, Michael's mother stood up, and gave a Riza a hug.

"Oh, Riza my dear… how have you been?" She said, very happy. "It makes me happy that you came here."

"Thank you for inviting me, Aunt Liezl. I'm fine thanks."

"Please sit." She said as she pointed Riza to a seat beside Michael's sister, Cara. "So my dear, how is your new school? I was quite surprised when Mike told me that you were here on a leadership training… you never called." She continued quite disappointed.

"I'm so sorry about that… I was quite busy too, adjusting to the new system, and I've been doing a low to there, since I live with my cousin."

"Nevertheless, have you gone to visit your house?"

"Um, actually yes… I had to get a few things and I just went back there for a while."

"So Riza, how is life there in Midgale? Busy?" Michael's father asked.

"Well it's much busier than here, Uncle Rob. But I've adjusted already… it's fun to live there, there's a lot to do."

"There's a lot to do here too." Michael interjected from across the table.

"Yeah, I know that… but it's different there." Riza said, smiling. Inside she was very annoyed at the way he was acting towards her.

"Big brother's been upset the past few days… something about you and a boy from your new school." Cara said in a sweet voice. Michael gave her a glare and kicked her from under the table.

"Ouch! Mommy!" Cara whined.

"Cara, please… you're thirteen. Please act your age, and don't mention things like that." Her mother warned her.

"But--"

"Stay out of it, Cara." Michael snarled.

"Michael, watch your tone." His father warned.

"I'm going to take Riza up to the living room, so we can talk." Michael said standing up and Riza stood up as well.

"Oh me too!" Cara enthusiastically said.

"Cara Nicola Thompson you will do no such thing. Go to your room and start on your homework." Michael led Riza out to the living room before she could hear more of Cara's complaints. They both sat down on the brown sofa, and said nothing to each other.

"You… um… want to watch TV?" Michael asked after a while.

"Okay." Riza replied simply and Michael turned on the TV.

"Is there anything you'd like to watch in particular?"

"No… anything's fine with me." Riza replied and Michael started surfing channels, before stopping on the movie channel which was showing 'A Walk To Remember'. They watched in silence for a while.

"I remember when we watched this for the first time… You, me… Kaitlyn, Camilla, Francis…"

"Yeah, I remember that." Riza said, smiling.

"That's the first time I saw you smile tonight." He noted, slightly happier now.

"Those were the days…." Riza simply said.

"Happier times, yes." He let out a small sigh. "I wish things were still like that."

"Mike, it's inevitable that change will happen… I mean, there are a lot of events that have changed us, changed the way things went."

"But I wish we're still friends…"

"We are friends, Mike. You're still a friend of mine, even if I'm far away."

"But… someone else owns your heart." Michael softly, but sadly said. Riza fell silent at that.

"Mike…"

"I know that you like him a lot… but isn't it too soon? You only met him a few months back." Michael argued.

"Mike, if I didn't know any better, you were jealous. Roy is a very good friend of mine. He's the nicest person who accepted me immediately for who I am. I've met his family too and they're very welcoming."

"Isn't mine welcoming?"

"Mike, you are acting like such a kid. I love your family too. I love your family a lot. But understand… somehow, I… don't get offended or anything, but I see you as my friend."

"I knew it… a friend and nothing more."

"Mike… I love you as a friend, you have a special place in my heart. And that will never go away even if times change. So no hard feelings, and don't take it against Roy either…"

"Well… fine… if you think that that is what's good for you, then I'll support you in any way I can." Michael said smiling. "Hug?" Riza smiled and the two friends hugged.

"I'm going to miss you, Ri. You take care of yourself… and keep in touch, please?"

"Alright, Mike, that's fine for me." Riza said with a smile. "I'm going to miss you a lot too."

--

Michael's father was nice enough to drive Riza back to the school, and Michael said goodbye once more before she went back into the school. When he got back to his house, he planned to do homework, but somehow couldn't bring himself to do so. He sat on his bed silently, and looked at the photo on his bedside table. It was taken during the previous school year, during happier times. It was at the park, and he, Riza and Camilla were there, smiling and very happy.

Riza's words rang in his head.

"_I see you as my friend…" _he felt sad.

'_She sees me as a friend… and only as a friend.' _ Michael tried to get his mind off that and tried to read his books, but couldn't concentrate properly. She was different. He tried to concentrate really hard, but somehow all that he thought of had her in it. He tried to listen to some music, but the music still reminded him of her. Then his phone rang, and he checked it. There's was a text message from an unfamiliar number.

"_Hey Mike… it's me, Riza… I'm sorry for the ways things have turned out. Thanks for everything. Hopefully, you'll find your own source of happiness too. I'll never forget you, you'll forever be my best friend. All the best, Ri." _

Mike's eyes welled with tears as he lay back on his bed. He was going to miss her so much.

--

When Riza got back, she bumped into Roy in the lobby.

"You're back." He told her.

"Yeah… how are you feeling?" She asked, concerned.

"Fine… Ms. R. gave me some medicine, and told me to rest. How about you? How'd it go?" He asked as they went up the stairs. He put his arm around her, and gave her a small kiss on the cheek.

"It was fine… we had a little talk. We patched up our differences."

"At least he didn't hurt you…"

"Roy, that's too extreme, Mike's still my friend." Riza said smiling.

"Okay, if you say so. Oh by the way, I got a text from Daniella, we have a paper to submit for English. She'll tell us more of it when we get back." Roy told her.

"Oh okay… I'll talk to her anyway tomorrow." Riza said. They got to their rooms. "Are you packed already?"

"Almost… although, if Maes keeps rummaging through my stuff for no particular reason, then maybe I'll never finish." Roy said running his hand through his hair. Riza laughed.

"You two never fail to amuse me. Go on, pack up and get some rest… it wouldn't be good for you if you got sick, remember, we have to catch up on a lot of stuff."

"Thanks. Good night, Riza." Roy said as he went towards her and gave her a hug. "Good night…"

"Good night too, Roy."

--

They all woke up early to go to the station by bus. Some people from the council were there to send them off.

"Thank you so much, for everything. Hopefully, you'll be able to visit Fountain Hill as well." Ms. Ramirez said as she shook Mr. Shaw's hand.

"Of course, we'd love to visit. When you feel like it, please, come back and visit us here."

After they exchanged good-byes and other greetings, they got on the train and soon they were on their way back home.

"You're going to miss the place aren't you?" Roy said as they left the station. Riza was looking out the window, somehow sad.

"Of course… it was my home for years. Now I feel like I went back to the day when I left for Fountain for the first time."

"But at least you carry in your heart more memories."

"I carry more than memories…. Remember I still have letters to read." Riza said smiling.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about those. Tell me all about them, okay?"

"Of course."

--

**So sorry to end it there guys! I've been doing a lot these past few days, and I try to write whenever I can… so if this took too long, and if the other chapters take too long, please bear with me. Rest assured I will try to update.**

**Please review if you can, it makes me happy. :) **


	27. Somehow It Feels Good To Be Home

**Hey there guys! Thanks so much for all the reviews. I really appreciated them. Yes, so every now and then I try to write, so that I won't keep you guys waiting too long. :) I hope you guys enjoy this. This chapter, it's back to their old school, and you'll see the old characters like Christella and all. **

**So without further ado, I bring you Chapter 27: Somehow It Feels Good To Be Home**

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**CHAPTER 27: Somehow It Feels Good To Be Home**

They had gotten back to Midgale before lunch time, and their parents were waiting at the station for them to bring them home. After exchanging a few good-byes and thank yous with Ms. Ramirez, they all went their separate ways. Riza noticed that Beatrice wasn't there, so she concluded that she'd have to walk home.

"Hey… I'll take you home." Roy said as they walked towards his parents, who were waiting.

"I see you read my mind." Riza joked.

"It didn't take much… it's pretty obvious." Roy said with his signature smirk.

"Hopefully they don't find out that I had gone back home… they prohibited that."

"They won't trust me…" Roy said softening his expression and he put his arm around her.

"I trust you a lot." She replied as they approached his parents. His mother stepped forward and gave Roy a hug and a kiss on a cheek (after a few complaints from Roy about kissing him in public), and a kiss and a hug as well for Riza.

"Oh how we've missed you two. Yes even you, Riza dear…" Cameron said very happy.

"How was the trip?" James asked the two.

"Fine… comfortable at the very least." Roy answered for them.

"Ready to go home?" James asked as he took Roy's bag.

"It's okay dad, I can carry my bag… do you mind if I drop Riza off?"

"Of course not! You can come over for lunch while we're on the topic." Cameron said happily. "Your cousin forget to fetch you?" She said, her expression changing all of a sudden, now very serious.

"Oh no… she has work, so I really didn't expect her to be here to fetch me. I have a key to the house anyway, Mrs. Mustang."

"Just come over for lunch and we'll bring you home afterwards." Cameron told her, accepting Riza's explanation. Riza just nodded with a smile.

"Roy, be a gentleman and carry Riza's bag." Cameron snapped at her son.

"Okay mom…" Roy said as he took Riza's bag gently, and reached out to get the other bag.

"No it's alright… besides, you're carrying two bags now." Riza pointed out. Roy just shrugged.

"Point taken."

--

When they got to the Mustang residence, they first heard loud music blaring from the second floor of the house, presumably from one of the rooms.

"That would be Isabella I presume." Roy said shaking his head.

"Goodness, Isabella is at it again… playing that loud music of hers." James noted.

"It's been going on all week?" Roy asked, surprised.

"You know your sister missed you… that's probably her way of showing how much she's missed you. Roy, go tell your sister and your siblings to come down so we can have lunch. Your father and I will go ahead to the dining room."

"Man… that's going to be quite easy… I'll just wait for mom and dad to go inside the dining room…" Roy muttered, and when he heard the door to the dining room close, he went to the foot of the stairs and took a deep breath. Riza was eying him closely, an amused expression on her face.

"…Okay… never mind." Roy said, bursting out in to laughter before he could actually do what he was planning to do. Then he stomped up the stairs, Riza following him, laughing as well.

"What did you plan to do?" Riza asked, curious.

"I wanted to imitate my dad and shout at Belle. Turns out, if I do that, and by my calculations, my parents would still hear, and I'd get reprimanded big time."

"So much for being daring, Roy." Riza pointed out.

"I can be daring… I just need the best way to show you I am daring."

"Fine, let's accept that. Although, I don't think shouting at your sister would show me your being daring." Riza said laughing, and Roy frowned a bit. "Don't give me that look, Roy Mustang."

"Darn. Okay fine, fine…" Roy said as they both got to the second floor and he started calling his siblings down for lunch. Isabelle was very pleased to see Riza and immediately gave her a big hug and planned out some sort of bonding trip for the two of them, presumably at the mall.

"Sometimes Belle, I doubt that you are twenty-three." Roy commented as they made their way to the dining room.

"Shush Roy… you act far too serious for a boy of sixteen. I'm always called serious whenever I'm at the hospital. I need things to get out of the stressful life."

"Fine… Colleen, how have things been the past week? I haven't heard anything on the news." Roy said turning his attention to his eldest sister.

"My point exactly Roy… you're far too serious." Isabelle said with a wink to Riza as they entered the dining room.

--

After lunch, Roy and his parents brought Riza home as he promised.

"Take care of yourself, okay? Just call if you need anything." Roy said, giving her a hug after putting her stuff inside the house.

"You worry too much. I'll be fine." She told him.

"If anything happens tell me. If Beatrice becomes suspicious and thinks you went back to your house, you can tell me and we'll work something out."

"Don't worry too much." Riza told him again. "I'll be fine. Okay, if it makes you happy, I'll contact you if anything happens, and if she does become suspicious, maybe I'll hand you the letters for safekeeping." Roy seemed assured at what Riza said.

"Promise?"

"Roy, you are acting like such a love struck teenager."

"Maybe I am." Roy told her.

"Your parents are waiting."

"Fine. See you tomorrow in school."

"Bye."

After the Mustang family car left, Riza entered the house and proceeded to bring her things up to her room. Beatrice was still at work and Riza decided to busy herself with homework. She called up Sunny and Charm to ask about homework and projects, and then went on to do everything. When she glanced at the clock and saw that it was almost time for dinner, she went back down and started cooking.

"Typical Beatrice… she didn't go grocery shopping again…" She muttered to herself as she pulled out a few ingredients from the refrigerator and the pantry. She pulled out some chicken from the freezer and decided to just fry it and prepare some vegetables. She busied herself and soon, Beatrice was home.

"Oh… you're back." Beatrice said as she threw her things on the sofa in the den.

"You sound disappointed. You didn't go grocery shopping again." Riza said sharply, noting her cousin's disappointment.

"I'm too busy to go grocery shopping." Beatrice said. "What's for dinner?"

"Chicken. Nothing you can do. Fine, after school, I'll go shopping. Give me money, and I'll do it tomorrow."

"Why not today?"

"Beatrice, don't get on my nerves. I have homework to do." Riza said as she fried a piece of chicken.

"Okay, okay fine whatever. I'll give you the cash later." Beatrice said as she stood up and got herself a glass of water. "How was the thing?"

"Fine."

"Did you see Michael?"

"I don't think that's your concern."

"You over-react and you're far too serious, Riza."

"If I remember correctly, your mom hated him so much, so why are we talking about him?" Beatrice was at a loss for words.

"I don't know what happened, you've changed."

"Unfortunately, I wouldn't be like this if you didn't launch into your little investigation of sorts. And not to mention your lack of responsibility."

"Just because you weren't here doesn't mean you get to tell me what to do, Riza. Remember, my mom sent me here to watch over you."

"Yeah sure… here we go again." Riza said. Beatrice didn't want to say anymore and instead went to her room to watch some TV. Riza finished cooking in silence, and when she was done, prepared the table and called for Beatrice. The two ate in silence, and after finishing, Beatrice, not saying a word, went back to her room, leaving Riza to clear up the table and the kitchen. After finishing her chores, riza went back to her room and finished her homework.

--

The next day, she woke up early to prepare breakfast, and as she thought, Beatrice was still asleep. She made herself breakfast and gathered her things and then went out of the house to leave.

"Where are you going?" A voice asked her. Riza was still sleepy, and so she didn't notice the person talking to her.

"To school."

"I'll take you there."

"What are you talking about?" Riza said, surprised. She looked up and found herself staring into Roy's clear dark blue eyes.

"Good morning… from the way you're acting, you didn't get a lot of sleep." Roy noted.

"You surprised me."

"Good thing I thought of picking you up. You're too sleepy to get to school by walking." Roy said with a chuckle.

"Stop it…" Riza said.

"Come on, get in the car… let's go." Roy said as he guided her to his car and then they were off to school.

--

Riza got yet another surprise as she entered the room, this time from Charm.

"RIZA!!" Charm shouted so loudly as she ran towards Riza and gave her friend a hug.

"Good to see you again, Charm."

"Riza, you okay?"

"Just tired…"

"Oh. Why don't you sit down?" Charm told her friend.

"I'll be at the office." Roy told her.

"I'll follow." Riza told him. "I'll just drop my stuff on my chair." Charm started chatting and telling her about the things that have happened the past week.

"You okay Riza? You really don't look well…"

"I'm okay. Charm, tell me about everything later. I'll just report at the council office."

"Alright… you sure you're okay? You're really pale, Riza."

"I'm fine… maybe just so sleepy and tired. See you later." With that, Riza left and went to the council office. Hughes and Roy were in the office, busy in front of the council computers, updating the council profile.

"Jamie really did well keeping the office clean." Riza heard Hughes say. Jamie Carlson was the temporary council head when they were out.

"Yeah, maybe we should get her to clean once in a while." Roy joked. Riza opened the door, and quietly entered the room, and put a hand to her head when she closed the door.

"Morning." She weakly greeted. Roy noticed the change in Riza's appearance and was immediately concerned.

"Hold on… are you okay?"

"You asked me that already, Roy. I told you, I'm fine… just sleepy."

"That's more than just being sleepy, Riza." Hughes pointed out, pausing a bit from his work.

"I agree." Roy said and he stood up and put his hand against her forehead. "I think you have a slight fever… maybe I should bring you to the clinic to rest."

"There's no need." Riza said, assuring him as she took a seat.

"Riza, if you're sick, you better rest." Hughes told her. Roy simply agreed with his best friend.

"We don't want your condition worsening." Roy added.

"I'm fine serious. I'll be able to keep up. You won't mind if I sleep for a while before class right?"

"Of course not… but maybe you should go to the clinic, where you'll be much more comfortable." Hughes told her gently.

"No, I'm okay here."

"Okay… Just rest… I'll go look for Ms. R. and tell her… and maybe I'll go to the clinic and get some medicine for you." Roy told her as he left the room.

"Roy, you don't need to." She told him, but he had already left the room. "Stubborn." She muttered as she put her head on her hands.

"Roy's always like that. That's just how he shows that he cares." Hughes told her softly.

"I see… it is good to know that someone cares." Riza said, her voice slightly muffled.

"He cares a lot for you… he's changed a lot ever since he met you. Go on, just rest and sleep. I'll be quiet." Hughes said.

--

Roy woke Riza up gently when it was almost time for class. When she woke up, Ms. R. was sitting across her, concerned.

"Ms. Hawkeye, Mr. Mustang here tells me you have a fever."

"Oh no, Ms. R… it's okay… I'm fine." Ms. Ramirez didn't seem convinced, but decided to just go with it.

"Alright. I had Mr. Mustang get you some medicine from the clinic. Better drink it then you can go to class. If you feel bad, I gave Mr. Mustang instructions to take you to the clinic, and you are not to complain." Ms. Ramirez had made it sound very clear that if she disobeyed, she'd be in a lot of trouble.

"Yes, Ms. Ramirez." Was all Riza could say and Roy handed her the medicine and a glass of water. After, they went to do rounds, Roy assisting Riza in the third year level and then they went to their room.

"Roy!" A voice greeted them. It was Christella, rather enthusiastic upon seeing Roy.

"Hey… good morning guys, Ms. R. will be up in a moment." Roy told the class before he and Riza took their seats. Sunny and Charm noticed that Riza wasn't feeling well and immediately went to their friend.

"I'm fine guys, trust me." She told them immediately with a small smile, knowing what they were going to say.

"If you think that's okay, then I really think you're not okay." Sunny told her.

"I drank medicine… Roy can prove it." Riza told her friends.

"She did… she'll be okay. If ever she doesn't feel well, I have instructions to take her to the clinic, even if it means that I have to carry her there." Roy said, half serious.

"Good to know that, Mustang. You do that, carry her to the clinic." Roy laughed at what Sunny said. But before they could say anything else, Ms. Ramirez came in and Sunny and Charm went back to their seats.

"Oh how good it is to be back…" Ms. Ramirez greeted. "I do hope nothing bad happened while I was gone?"

"Oh no, Ms. Ramirez, we were all good." Christella spoke for the class.

"Good to hear." She said as she put a few things on the table. "Ms. Hawkeye, feeling better?"

"Yes, thanks, Ms. R." Riza said, still weak.

"Mr. Mustang, remember my instructions." Roy nodded. "Alright… oh yes, the Christmas season is approaching. Well, the homeroom department has come up with an activity to celebrate the Christmas season… Joy. I think, Socio chair, please take care of the arrangements. Now here are the instructions. I'm sure you're all familiar with the Secret Santa tradition. Well, we planned to have one as well. Now, on a small piece of paper, write down your wishlist. Please, as much as possible put things that can actually be given to you, and be reasonable. Come on, pull out a piece of paper and start jotting down your wishes while I babble on and tell you all the announcements. When you're done, put it here in this box." Ms. Ramirez pulled out a box from her bag and placed it in the chair on front of her. As they were busying themselves with the wish lists, Ms. Ramirez told them all the announcements, including the one for the small Christmas ball they were going to have.

"I'll be distributing letters concerning the ball. I do hope that you don't become too busy by asking people out, academics is still the priority, people." She handed out letters and soon people were putting their wish lists in the box. When everyone had a letter and put all the lists in the box, Ms. Ramirez asked the socio chair to go around and ask people to pick one list from the box.

"Oh wait, my list." Ms. Ramirez said, pulling out her folded list from her pocket. "So even I will pick out a name." She put her list in the box, shook it and then picked another piece of paper out and handed the box to be passed.

They all got one piece of paper from the box and read what was written on them.

"Who did you get?" Roy asked Riza. For the first time during the day, Riza smiled.

"Roy, the reason it's called Secret Santa is because you have to keep it a secret."

"You won't tell me?"

"Nope."

"Alright…" He said. "Not even a hint?"

"No, Roy." She told him before putting the list in her planner.

"Please?"

"You're rather persistent, Roy… but no. It's a secret."

--

The day went by pretty quickly. Riza had to make sure that Roy won't know that she was still sick. She really didn't want to worry him. But that didn't stop him from taking her home.

"I insist." Roy told her as he opened the car door for her.

"Roy… I'll be fine walking."

"Next thing I know you'll have a cold." Roy told her. "Please, just do it for me… I want to make sure you'll be fine."

"I am fine."

"Then let me take you home." Riza finally gave in, and allowed Roy to take her home.

--

"You better rest."

"Roy don't worry too much."

"Promise me you'll rest." Roy said, still defiant.

"Alright… I promise to rest. After I do my homework."

"See you tomorrow then, Riza…" he said, giving her a hug. "And don't forget your medicine."

"Thanks Roy."

--

Riza took Roy's advice and rested after she finished her homework. She prepared dinner early and just put Beatrice's portion in the refrigerator and just put a note telling her to heat it because she wasn't feeling well. Beside it was the letter on the Christmas ball.

She took a bath then went straight to bed, deciding to just cuddle under her blanket and read a book. She turned on her music player, and put it on her bedside table. Beside it was her cellphone, a glass of water and her medicine.

In the middle of her book, someone texted her. She put down the book and got her phone and read the message. It was Roy.

"_I hope you're resting… get well soon. :)" _Riza couldn't help but smile and immediately composed her reply to Roy and sent it to him. Roy replied soon after.

"_No don't worry about me, Riza… I'm fine. Just rest…" _Riza scrolled down further.

"_I wanted to ask you personally… but maybe I'll ask you now. Come with me to the dance?" _ Riza's smile widened and she immediately dialed Roy's number on her phone.

"You didn't have to call." He told her.

"I think this is the closest to asking me personally Roy."

"Alright then… true, point taken. So… come with me to the dance?"

"Did you really have to ask? You know that I'd say yes." Riza said, happy.

"Alright… I'll make it even more formal tomorrow."

"Roy you don't have to."

"But I insist." Riza was quiet for a while.

"Alright…"

"I shouldn't keep you on the phone for too long. Go rest, Riza… see you tomorrow. I love you."

"I love you too, Roy."

--

**So there it is guys! I found time to write… I hope you won't mind waiting since I don't know when I'll be able to write. I hope you read and review, I really love reading them. All the best, hope you enjoyed!**


	28. It's looks a lot Like Christmas

**Hey there guys! I hope you didn't have to wait long… sometimes I do lose track of time, and I have a lot to do too, my exams are coming up! So if it's short, please don't get mad if the chapter's short… I have very limited time now. HAHA**

**And yes, my heart was crushed as well by chapter 102, and I couldn't concentrate on my studies after reading LOL. But it's so sad, as much as I would like to think that at least he's still alive. Anyways, enough of that, I bring to you chapter 28: It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas.**

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**CHAPTER 28: It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas**

As December came, the weather changed as well. They would have light snowfall, as weather there wasn't as harsh as the weather in the more northern places. But still, it was much colder now than ever.

But school continued on and the council was busy preparing for the Christmas ball they were organizing. They had meetings here and there; some of them got pulled out of classes to check locations and the other little details. As far as they were concerned, it all had to be perfect for the Christmas Ball. They had finally settled on a date (December 19th) and were now finalizing the lists of who were going, and of course, promotions.

"I have no idea how we are suppose to promote this big an event." Aurelia said, very tired, during a lunch council meeting. They missed another day of classes, and they all had extra work to do, but they tried to help each other whenever they can.

"Do we even have to promote? I mean people are so excited about it… girls are shopping for dresses like crazy." Hughes pointed out.

"… and guys are getting the girls the best gifts to give them when they ask them out." Riza added with a small smile. Hughes, who was seated beside Roy flashed him a big smile, and gave him a small punch.

"She's saying you better get her a good gift, Roy." Hughes whispered, his voice still audible for Riza to hear.

"Thank you for the update Hughes, but yes, I heard it clearly." Roy said with a small smirk.

"I was just saying…" Hughes began.

"Can we just think of ways to promote?" Roy interrupted. At that point, Victor and Stella entered the room.

"So what have we thought of?" Victor asked as he got a glass of water from the dispenser there.

"Nothing much… yet." Hughes said, sighing. "This is too hard." They sat in silence for a few moments until Roy started muttering to himself, which meant he thought of something. At that moment, Ed entered the room.

"I'VE GOT IT!" Roy exclaimed, so loudly that he startled Ed.

"What did you get, Mustang? Maybe you can keep it down a bit." Ed noted and grumpily seated beside him.

"Ed, what would you do for a hundred bucks?" Roy asked, an evil glint in his eyes.

"Depends, but yeah I do need the money. I need to buy Al and Winry their gifts."

"I'll give you a hundred bucks, Ed." Roy said in a very nice voice, very unlike him.

"HOLD ON." Ed said. "What's the catch?" Roy just grinned, evilly.

"Well… we need a way to promote. And since you're the one who can do anything, I'll give you a hundred bucks if you go into the cafeteria tomorrow at lunch and silence the entire hall and announce the ball." Ed's eyes widened in shock.

"You want me to do what?!" Everyone else was surprised at the idea.

"Hmmm… somehow I like it, Roy. Hey Ed. I'll give you another hundred bucks if you do it for three days, not straight…" Hughes complimented, very interested.

"Serious?" Ed asked.

"Hell yeah." Hughes said. "Just don't tell Ms. R. she might not agree with the payment thing." They all laughed.

"But we do have to tell her about the screaming, so she can warn the teachers as least." Riza noted.

"Of course. This is going to be fun!" Hughes said, very happy.

--

The next day, they got out before lunch, having obtained permission from the principal and Ms. Ramirez to push through with their plans. Ms. Ramirez liked the idea immediately and even complimented Ed for going through with it. Roy brought a video camera to record the entire thing.

"Why bring a video cam?" Riza asked, suspicious.

"It'll come in handy someday, trust me." Roy simply answered as they took their places at the council table. Soon, the others had joined them, very excited to know how things will come out.

"So, Ed's going to push through with it?" Stella asked.

"Hell yeah. Vic decided to give him another hundred bucks." Hughes replied, smiling. "Ah right on time." He said as the bell rang. After a while, students piled into the canteen, chatting loudly and trading gifts and stories. They saw a few guys approaching girls with chocolates and roses, hoping to ask them out to the ball.

"Ah yes, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas." Roy said, in a sing-song voice.

"that's a great way to put it actually." Riza agreed. She checked her watch. There were a lot of people in the canteen already. A few moments later, Ed entered the canteen with Victor and Aurelia. He looked rather nervous, and he wasn't saying anything.

"Edward! Ah yes, our very brave colleague. Go for it dude." Hughes encouraged.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Ed muttered in a low voice.

"Oh come on, don't wimp out. We're giving you a total of three hundred bucks." Roy said, with his signature smirk.

"I aint' backing out, Mustang. I need to compose myself."

"Hurry up then… we have to do this quick."

"You do it."

"If I did it, you'd have to pay me instead." Roy replied back.

"Good point, I'm so broke." Ed grumbled as he stood up and went to the middle and pretended for a moment that he was just standing there. Roy, a very evil grin on his face, readied his camera. They all saw Ed take a deep breath.

"EVERYBODY QUIET!!" Ed shouted so loud that even the concessionaires, who were totally unaware of the situation stopped serving food. All eyes were just on Ed. His serious face broke into a wide grin. "SEVENTEEN MORE DAYS TIL THE CHRISTMAS BALL! SPREAD THE LOVE PEOPLE!" Ed shouted before dashing out the cafeteria, people applauding his courage, some shouting in glee. Hughes and Roy exchanged high fives before they all stood up and followed Ed to the office. When they got there, Ed's voice greeted them.

"There's no way in hell I'm doing that again. Pay up people." Ed said with a funny grin. Roy, Vic and Hughes forked up 100 bucks each and placed it on Ed's outstretched palm.

"Ah, this is the good life."

--

The days passed and the council became even busier planning the ball. They now stayed after class hours, either at the school or at the dance venue.

"There is no way I'm allowing you to walk home in the dark." Roy said in a firm voice as they were wrapping up the business that night. It was almost eight in the evening and Riza wanted to walk home.

"Roy, I'm no damsel in distress, I can handle myself." Riza said, assuring him with a smile.

"I'm not buying that. I'm taking you home. And you can't say otherwise."

"No need to be too overprotective Roy." Riza argued, tone changing slightly.

"Your own cousin doesn't even check if you're okay… at least I care for you."

"I understand Roy, but…"

"For my peace of mind, please just let me take you home. My parents will probably get mad at me if I let you walk on your own." Roy said, still not giving in.

"Alright then…" Riza said with a sigh. "Fine you may take me home, Roy." That made Roy happier. They walked out of the hall together and Roy instructed the driver to take them to Riza's place first. Riza stared out the window, looking at the lights adorning the shop windows.

"What are you thinking about?" Roy's voice broke her flow of thoughts.

"It's nothing… I haven't exactly had a genuine Christmas celebration ever since my mom died… it's a change, but I think I'll manage. I'm hoping grandfather would come visit me, even for the holidays."

"There's nothing stopping you from visiting him, you know…"

"My aunts are. You know what they want."

"They can't take what's yours from you. Even my dad and Colleen would say that."

"Must be convenient having lawyers and doctors in the family." Riza said with a small laugh.

"Sometimes too convenient. I mean, I can't even fake a medical certificate." Roy said with a laugh.

"You think of faking a medical certificate to skip class?" Riza asked, surprised, an eyebrow raised.

"No I was kidding… Mom would never agree to something like that. And besides, I can't afford to be absent."

"True…" She said softly. They didn't say anything for a few minutes.

"Roy…" she said softly.

"Mm?"

"What are Christmases like in your family?" Riza asked. Roy pondered for a moment.

"Well… Christmases are really simple. Usually my grandparents would come over for dinner, and they'd give us gifts. Sometimes my parents' siblings would come as well, and we'd have a little reunion, and even we would have our own Secret Santa activity. Usually my grandparents would want my siblings and I to play some music for them."

"Yes, you are all musically talented."

"Haha, you haven't heard Colleen yet."

"I never asked what she played."

"The flute." Roy simply answered.

"I see…"

"Grandma loves hearing us play."

"I'm sure anyone would."

"I'm flattered." Roy said.

"You're welcome."

"Maybe you should join us for dinner Christmas Eve." Roy suggested.

"I can't impose Roy…"

"I'm sure the family would be thrilled. My parents don't mind."

"Your extended family will be there too."

"It's fine. I'll ask dad and mom and then I'll tell you what they think."He told her as they pulled up in front of her house. The lights were on, meaning that Beatrice was home.

"Thanks for the ride Roy." Riza told him before he opened the door and went out to let her out.

"It's no problem. Take care, and have a good night Riza." Roy said as he gave her a hug before getting back into the car. Riza watched the car drive off before going into her house.

--

Riza was up all night finishing her work, and reading up on the next few lessons. She couldn't waste anymore time. She was working on her paper when her cell phone rang, and she saw that the number belonged to her grandfather. She hurriedly answered the call.

"Grandfather! I haven't heard from you in a while!" Riza said, very happy.

"Riza my dear, how have you been?" Her grandfather greeted her, in a hushed voice.

"Why are you whispering, grandpa?"

"I don't want your aunts to find out I've been calling you, but don't you worry about this old man. How have you been?"

"It's… all great grandpa. Are you positively sure that you're alright?" Riza said, her happiness turning to concern.

"Don't you worry about it dearest. I called to ask if you'll be with anyone on Christmas day? Beatrice will be going home soon."

"Oh… she didn't mention that to me."

"Your cousin didn't tell you she was leaving for a short vacation?"

"Beatrice keeps a lot of things from me."

"Probably her mother's instructions. Anyhow, are you free on Christmas day?"

"Yes grandpa, I am… I'll be with a friend on Christmas Eve, but that's not too sure yet. But I'm free on Christmas day."

"Excellent. I'll be going there, but do not tell Beatrice. I do not want your aunts to know."

"Of course, grandpa."

"Are you doing school work, dearest?"

"Yes grandpa, I am. I'm very busy with the activities in the school. If Aunt Maybelle didn't tell you yet, I'm a member of the council."

"Well, keep it up, dear. I cannot wait to see you. Good night, study well." Riza couldn't stop smiling. She had wanted to see her grandfather for a while now. But she was extremely bothered by the secrecy. As much as family problems were common, she didn't think the problem in her family would be that bad.

"Riza!" Beatrice called from downstairs. Riza stood up and went to her door.

"What is it?"

"What are you doing?"

"Homework." Riza simply answered, slightly annoyed by her cousin's rather bored tone.

"Oh… um, I wanted to ask if you're gonna keep coming home late." Riza frowned to herself.

"Yes I will. And if it bothers you, you can go to bed if I come home late. Roy will take me home and I have a key to the house anyways. Maybe that will stop bothering you."

"It's not exactly bothering me, mom was just asking."

"Then you can tell her yes I will come home late, if she doubts me, then she can ask Ms. Ramirez to send her a letter explaining the situation." Riza answered curtly.

"Oh… okay, I'll tell her that. You get back to your homework." Beatrice replied and Riza closed the door without saying another word.

--

The next day, Roy was on time once more, and the two went to school together. They went straight to the council room.

"Good morning lovebirds!" Hughes greeted.

"Good morning, Hughes." The two said together as they sat down at the table and started on their work.

"Ms. R. says we have to attend all our classes today. No excuses. Besides, it's almost the end of the week."

"Alright then." Roy simply said. "How many reply slips have been returned."

"A lot." Hughes said, busy typing on the computer.

"I was asking for a concrete number."

"Haven't gotten around to counting yet… Aurelia offered to do it."

"Alrighty." Roy said, as he turned to reading some papers. Both guys noticed Riza' quietness and decided just to say nothing about it. Riza silently went through the slips of her batch and collated some of the slips, to help Aurelia out.

"Hey, Ri…" Roy said.

"Yeah?"

"You okay?"

"I'm fine."

"The last time you said that you had a fever." Roy said, very concerned.

"It's a family thing. Don't worry too much about it." Riza said simply.

"Oh, and speaking of which, mom says she'd love to have you for Christmas Eve. And don't worry about my extended family… she says they'll love you." Riza gave a small smile as a reply.

"Thanks Roy."

"Oh and how is your gift hunting going for your secret santa?" Roy asked, curious. At this, Riza seemed to lighten up.

"Well… I'm looking at one or two of the things my SS wrote. And you?"

"I already got that person a gift… and I got you your gift as well." Roy said, very happy.

"Ooh, cheesy, Roy!" Hughes teased.

"Shut it. I'm sure you're getting your girlfriend something big too."

"Guilty." Hughes beamed. "Of course I wouldn't let the holidays passed without getting my dear Gracia a gift."

"You've been bitten by a lovebug." Riza teased.

"I've been bitten a long time ago, Riza… it's you and Roy that have been infected by it." Hughes said, smiling.

"Thanks for pointing out the obvious, Maes." Roy said in a low voice. Then the three of them broke out into fits of laughter.

--

The day went on, they went back to their normal academic lives. They sat down in class and listened to the lessons and participated in class.

"I want you guys to memorize the Sum and difference identities because come your exams, you will not be allowed to look at your 'cheat' cards." Their trigonometry teacher was telling them. Some people grumbled, not wanting to memorize any more formulas than they needed to.

"How are you holding up" Roy whispered to Riza.

"I'm fine, Roy." She replied.

"You sure?" 

"Very sure. Don't worry about anything."

"I'm guessing it's about your aunts again."

"Yeah…"

"Tell me all about it."

"After class then. I don't want us to get caught talking in class."

"Good point."

--

They had lunch together in the canteen and Riza decided to open up to Roy and tell him everything.

"My grandfather's coming to visit… on Christmas day."

"That's great news for you! I'm guessing you will be celebrating Christmas with him?"

"Yup. Luckily Beatrice isn't going to be there… she'll be leaving a few days before grandpa gets here."

"Then what's got you so bothered?"

"All this secrecy… even my grandpa's affected by the secrecy." Riza said, very concerned.

"I understand… but I do hope things will work out. And I'm sorry if that's the only thing I can offer you… it's not even advice."

"Roy, you have done so much for me…"

"I don't think I've done enough."

"Don't you go lovey dovey on me, Roy Mustang." Riza said, smiling.

"I won't promise. But that won't stop me from being so concerned. I understand you've been through a lot… but I want to help you cope with it, even if my efforts can do so little to alleviate your pain."

"Roy… I'm just glad that I met someone like you…" Riza said softly, pausing to take a sip of her orange juice. "If I didn't meet someone like you, I don't know if I would have taken my transfer here as easy as I did. And you were there through my tough times."

"I'm your friend… it's just right for me to be there for you… no matter what."

"Even if it gets hard?"

"Even if it gets hard."

"Then likewise, I will be there for you, Roy."

"I couldn't ask for more. I'm perfectly happy with that. Now smile… I don't want you looking so sad." Roy said smiling. Riza just smiled.

"That's much better. Honestly, I don't know if anyone has told you before, but you look much more beautiful when you smile."

--

**Guys! I'm so sorry it's so short. I have a lot coming up. I will try to update soon. All the best guys, and I hope you guys have a great Winter/Christmas break! :D**


	29. The Christmas Ball

**Hey guys! I'm back. First I would like to greet you guys Happy New Year. Second, I would like to apologize since I was not able to post before Christmas or during Christmas since I had no internet connection (how sad) But as always, I would like to thank those who read and reviewed. I appreciated them greatly. **

**So now, I will not keep you from reading any longer, here is Chapter 29: The Christmas Ball.**

**--**

**CHAPTER 29: The Christmas Ball**

"Alright people, settle down!" Ms. Ramirez was in the middle of her usual homeroom reminders, and it took awhile for the students to settle because of all the excitement over the ball.

"Let's not get too ahead of ourselves, people. You'll have enough time to chat about your dresses and your dates. Ms. Williams, please keep that book." Cassie Williams was startled and hurriedly put her book back in her bag and paid attention.

"Alright… let me remind you that on the 18th, a Friday… that will be the last day of classes. And that is half day, supposedly to give you guys time to 'prepare'." She said, slightly sarcastic on the word prepare. "Of course, I'm sure you don't need the time, but anyway. So on the 18th, there will be no academics, but you have to come to school, for a little get together per class. So I think, this is the time to have our Secret Santa Thing. Ms. Curtis, please coordinate with the socio chair in planning."

"Of course, Ms. Ramirez." Christella answered promptly with a smile, flipping her long hair.

"Next, I would like to commend the class for being able to complete all the reply slips for the ball. It's certainly a big help to the council... I won't tell you about the headaches other classes have given us. You can just ask Ms. Hawkeye or Mr. Mustang, but moving on. Let me do remind you on the rules for the ball. First, please be there at 6:30… or else, we start without you, which reminds me, there is another letter on the rules that will be given later. Ms. Hawkeye, please go around and ask all class reps to go to the council office during lunch time. Go now. Mr. Mustang, go look for Mr. Hughes and ask the other reps to go around and deliver the same message."

The two got up, with Roy allowing Riza to leave the room first before he did. The halls were silent, and there was no one in the halls, except maybe for the janitor who was mopping some mess a student left there in the morning.

"Looks like I'll go room to room then." Riza said with a smile.

"Sure… I'll meet you back at the classroom. I'll go over to Hughes' room before we can go to the other reps." Roy said. And with that, they went their separate ways.

--

It seemed that the ball was the topic of every conversation. Who was taking who, who was wearing what an what they were looking forward to during the holidays.

"OMG. Guess who asked me out??" One girl half screamed to her friends.

"OMG, who??" Her friend replied, very excited.

"My crush, Jonathan!" She shrieked back, and both of them were screaming in the halls during lunch time.

"Good afternoon ladies, might I ask to keep down the noise?" Roy said politely as he passed them to go to the council office. The two were surprised at seeing him, but blushed slightly and gave out little shrieks of joy before nodding.

"Ever the gentleman are you, Roy?" Riza said from behind him. "Going to the council office?"

"Yeah…" Roy answered. "Everyone's just so excited for the ball."

"People can't help it. It's instinct." Riza offered an explanation.

"Maybe it is… oh wait, speaking of which, Isabelle wants to go on a shopping trip with you." He said, his voice slightly dropping at the mention of his sister.

"I'm guessing you weren't too comfortable asking me that…" Riza noted the expression on his face, which was bordering on annoyance and boredom.

"Nope."

"Well, you can tell Isabelle I said yes… I still have to get my secret Santa a gift too." Riza said with a smile.

"Thank god you said yes… she's been bugging me about that. I have no idea how she does it. She's like a child, but she does really well in med school."

"At least she doesn't make any mistakes in the operating room or anything." Riza joked.

"Haha… at least… but I do wish she can be more serious as home."

"Oh let her unwind Roy."

"I'll think about it." Roy mused as he opened the door for her. Most of the council members were in the room, and so were the representatives who had to get the letters for the ball.

"Oh good you're here!" Maes greeted. "Riza, please get the letters for your batch and assemble them in one line over there… left side of the room, beside the seniors."

"I'll talk to you later." Riza said as she took her place. Roy on the other hand made his way to the front of the room, where the computer was. As he passed the junior reps, Christella winked at him and handed him a small slip of paper before mouthing the words 'open later'. He just gave his signature smirk and pocketed the letter.

"Two timer." Maes muttered as a joke.

"Oh shut up." Roy replied. "You have a meeting to preside over. Unless, you want me to take over, o Mr. president."

"Nah, you'll have your chance." Maes replied with a wide grin, as he cleaned his glasses before addressing everyone.

"Everyone, attention." Hughes stood up on the chair so that he could be seen well. "Thanks for coming guys… I know it's lunch, but it's important that you guys can get this to the other students. First we finalized the venue already, and it's going to be at the Hillview Hotel. Now, all students have paid ball fees when they paid the tuition, so there's no problem now. So here's how everything's going to go in this meeting. I will go over the little details, Roy and Aurelia will discuss the additional things for the ball." He paused for a moment to get a piece of paper which had a long list of rules.

"So, in the letter, there's a list of rules there. First let's start with the basic, the ball starts at 6:30 sharp. Now Aurelia will discuss the program, and coming on time has something to do with the program. Teachers will be stationed around the venue, and students are not allowed to leave before midnight unless there's a good reason. Anyone who has to leave before that time has to submit a letter to the council before the 19th. Deadline is on the 18th. Next, students are definitely not allowed to check in the hotel without a written letter of permission, signed by your parents. We don't want any 'accidents' happening." Hughes said, serious.

"Next… alcohol will not be served, and we don't want students sneaking in any forms of alcohol. Attendance will be checked by advisers in the lobby. People, let's just have fun… other rules are self explanatory, and you can just read them in the letter. Now I'll pass it to Roy who will discuss the first part of the ball surprises." Hughes stepped back and allowed Roy to take the floor.

"Alright, thanks Maes for enlightening us on that… now for the first part of surprises. The ballroom will not be arranged like your typical ball with the tables around like that… Pardon the small screen, but turn your attention to the computer screen." He pulled out his laptop from behind the table and put it on the table where there was a floor plan displayed.

"It looks like some hip party place yeah… we had some help from the parents. There will be comfy chairs all over the place, no formal tables… a big dance floor. There's a snow machine, some place to get cold drinks, snowflakes and anything else winter around. Four bands will be performing for us on that night. We were able to get Jumpstart, Ja9, the XDs, and Starlight Trail."

At the mention of the bands, people were excited and were exchanging stories with each other.

"Alright not done yet people… there will be photographers going around. Some wll charge for the photos, some won't. But outside the ballroom area, there are not one, not two, not three, not… oh forget it. There are six photobooth stations available that will take pictures of you, your dates and your friends… and you can go as many times as you want. And all that is possible with the help of some of the parents of several students. Now, the last part of the surprise… from Aurelia."

"Thanks Roy. Alright, Maes mentioned about people coming early. The reason for that is we're going to have some sort of draw at 7:00, and only people who came before 6:30 can join the first draw. What's up stake? There are 3 iPhones up for grabs. There will be five new cellphones as well, and, from a generous donation, there will be one laptop up for grabs!" Screams erupted all around, people were jumping around.

"Alright? So that's the big surprise! Encourage your classmates to come early so we can all have fun. And likewise, read the letters people!" Aurelia said, very cheerful as she allowed Maes to take the floor once more.

"Alright. So that's all for this meeting. Spread the news guys. Council members, please stay for a quick meeting. Dismissed, class reps."

One by one, the people left the room, and the room became silent once more.

"That's one heck of a pleased crowd." Maes said, very amused.

"It's the Christmas season, it's just right for us to make people happy." Nika said.

"True." Maes replied. "Everyone sit down for a quick meeting. Ms. R. is in another meeting regarding the security of the ball… so I have to take over for now." Everyone took their seats, and Maes pulled out the agenda for that meeting.

"First, we have to finalize all the reply slips. Now so that we have additional lists just to be sure… So… batch reps, Vic, Riza, Ed and Stella, here are some sheets of paper per class. Each class has to fill it out, put their date's name, if there is a date, and what school is their date from if he or she is not from here. Make sure that's complete… on the 17th." Hughes handed out sheets of paper to the four representatives. Each was clearly labeled per level and per section.

"Next, we'll discuss the flow of the program… then if we finish early, then we can go back and relax." Hughes said with an encouraging smile.

--

"I have to hand out these first, Roy. You go on ahead." Riza told him as they reached their room.

"Alright… I'll tell the teacher where you went."

"Thanks." Riza replied. "Oh and…" She said stopping. "Give this to Christella to fill out please. Thanks a lot, Roy. See you later." And with that she left. Roy entered the room and immediately called for Christella who looked very happy that he called her.

"Yes, Roy?" She said in a very sweet voice.

"Um… you have to have this filled out ASAP." Roy said, not noticing her tone and handed her the sheet. Christella's face fell.

"Did you get my note Roy?"

"Of course I did… I just didn't read it yet." Roy replied.

"Read it, please??" She said, batting her eyelashes. Roy just didn't know what to say, and with a sigh he pulled out the small piece of folded paper and opened it. Roy's eyes quickly scanned the letter which said: Dear _Roy… I'm hoping you don't have a date yet, I'm hoping you can ask me out. Much love… Chris._

"Sooo??" Christella asked, expecting something good.

"Um… you see Chris… there's a slight problem."

"What? Don't tell me that… that Riza already agreed to be your partner?" Christella stuttered.

"'Fraid so… sorry bout that, Chris." Roy said, apologetic.

"No it's fine…" Christella replied, slightly disappointed. "Maybe next time right?"

"Maybe…" Roy replied. "Anyways, I'll go back to my seat." Roy said silently before leaving Christella standing there to do her work.

--

The day was over and Roy had once more offered to take Riza home.

"I'm fine with walking, really." Riza said with a smile.

"I think someone's going to complicate matters further." Roy said with a slight groan as his car pulled up and the door opened. Out came Isabelle, who had looked like she had just come from the hospital.

"Riza!" She greeted happily and gave her a hug.

"Hello, Isabelle, how have you been?" Riza greeted.

"Fantastic… so, are you set to go shopping? Did Roy tell you about it?"

"Yeah he did. I said sure…"

"Yay!" Isabelle said happily. "I'll help you shop for a new dress."

"Um, Belle…" The three made their way to the car. "I don't think I need a new dress…"

"Don't say that… Roy has probably seen that dress you're going to wear, so no way… you need a real knockout." Isabelle said grinning.

"You know what, sometimes I wish that every place reminds you of a hospital. So that you'll be professional always." Roy muttered.

"Don't be such a kill joy Roy. So Riza, I can't wait for our shopping trip!" Isabelle said happily as they drove off.

--

The days went by and soon it was the weekend once more. Isabelle had scheduled for them to go shopping first thing on Saturday morning, then she could spend time at their place and have lunch. Explaining to Beatrice wasn't that hard because these days, she didn't seem to care a lot.

"I'll be out today, Beatrice." Riza called getting her coat from where she last left it.

"I figured you'd say something like that. Listen, I'll be going home for the holidays."

"Mm…" Riza replied. She already knew that Beatrice was going home for the holidays.

"So where do you plan to spend it? Going home?" Beatrice asked, taking a sip from her cup of coffee.

"I don't have a home remember? I'll be staying here. Roy invited me over to their place for Christmas eve."

"Oh right… your boyfriend." Beatrice muttered under her breath. "Speaking of which, where are you going?"

"Roy's sister is going to take me on a shopping trip… she said something about R&R."

"Oh right, all those girly things I'm not into at all." Riza was starting to get pretty annoyed at her cousin's obvious lack of interest. Before she could say anything else (not that she wanted to say anymore), the Mustang's car pulled up in front of the door and the driver honked the horn.

"Alright, that's Isabelle. I'm going now… I'll see you later."

"Yeah sure, I'll be at work." Riza didn't say anything anymore and left the house and immediately boarded the Mustang's car.

"Good morning!" Isabelle greeted cheerfully. She was all bundled up as well in her light brown sweater. "How was your day so far?" Before Riza could answer the car went on its way.

"Fine… so far. I am sort of glad to get out of there."

"Cousin treating you badly?"

"Not badly… but it's just that she's never interested in anything I do or say… then again I was never close to her or any of my aunts."

"Ah… not too close with your extended family?"

"Except maybe for my grandfather… I think my mother was his favorite, that's why I was close to him too. He loved to visit me and my family a lot before…"

"Oh did Roy invite you over for Christmas eve dinner?"

"Yeah he did…"

"Great! Grandmama and Grandpapa are so excited to meet you."

"Um… that's great, I'm looking forward to meeting them as well."

"What are your plans for Christmas day?"

"Um… don't tell my cousin, but my grandfather will be coming over… and he's not going to tell anyone or else they're all going to have a fit or something." Riza replied.

"That's good to hear! Anyways… today, we'll get your dress first, a little clothes shopping for me, then have our nails done… then facials. Don't worry, I'll be paying for everything."

"Oh don't do that, Isabelle. I'll be paying and buying my dress."

"Oh I can't do that…" Isabelle said.

"No Isabelle. I'll be buying anything that's mine…"

"Awww man… Roy was right, I was not going to be able to convince you to let me buy you anything." Isabelle said sadly.

"Roy said that?"

"Yeah he was sort of giving me a lecture last night about being professional blah, blah, blah. Then he brought that up. So anyways, I'll be contented. Hey it's a girls' day out. So let's just have fun."

--

They first hit the shop where they sold dresses for balls and parties. Isabelle helped Riza pick out dresses. Isabelle was very particular with the design, shape and color of things. She had a rather good eye. Soon Riza was trying on dress after dress after dress.

"When will we finish?" Riza said after trying on that last dress. It had ruffles and she didn't like it.

"Ruffles… definitely not. Let's go for something simple… we've been trying so many complicated designs." Isabelle muttered as she sat down on one of the benches. "Mariel, maybe one of those pretty, light colored ones will do." Mariel, the lady attending to them brought over a few more dresses, each of them light in color.

"No not this one… too short." Isabelle muttered handing some back to Mariel. "Riza, this should do. There's white, cream, very light blue, very light pink and pale purple."

"When will we be done with this?" Riza said, laughing.

"As soon as you finish fitting these last few dresses. I think the cream off shouldered one will be good on you. Simple, elegant, few rhinestones here and there… but it'll fit you just fine." Isabelle said checking her phone for new messages. Riza just smiled and went in to fit the dresses. After a while she came back out the dresses draped neatly over her arms.

"No, I have to go… I'll talk to you later… No I'm shopping with Roy's friend…. Yes I'll get to work as soon as I get home… Yeah bye." Isabelle said as she ended her call and looked up to Riza. "So what's the choice?"

"The cream one, I agree." Riza said smiling.

"Italian satin… wonderful, okay. Great, let's go to the cashier then I'll go for some quick shopping, then we'll go get the nails done." Isabelle said, grinning.

"Oh wait, I just remembered, I have to stop by and buy something for my Secret Santa." Riza told her.

"Sure, no problem, we have enough time… or I can always ask a personal shopper to do the shopping." Isabelle replied with a wink.

--

After all that shopping, they went back to the Mustangs' for lunch. Isabelle kept pushing Roy away, making sure he doesn't see the dress.

"Isabelle, there's no stupid superstition. This isn't a wedding!" Roy told her.

"Oh shut it, think of it as a Christmas surprise." His sister shot back. "Besides, I think Riza likes the idea of the surprise. Don't you?" Isabelle asked her.

"It sounds good." Riza replied. Roy just let out a groan.

--

The days went by and soon it was the day before the ball.

"I wanted to skip class today, I have to get my nails done!" Christella wailed that day. She was carrying a large paperback and behind her was a few of her house help carrying food, which was for the small agape they were going to have.

"Geez, someone get her a cork, or get me earplugs. Maybe I should have added that on my list." Sunny muttered to Riza and Charm that day.

"Cheer up Sunny." Charm said with an encouraging smile.

"Riza, I wish you were here during the training… she was so annoying!" Sunny complained. Riza just laughed.

"You missed me then?" Riza joked.

"Hell yeah… everything's better with you around." Sunny said playing along.

"Hey Riza… who did you get for the Secret Santa thing?" Charm whispered. Riza smiled and drew the two closer.

"I got Roy… he was pretty persistent though, asking me who I got and all that. But I had a little help on getting him gifts… I couldn't pick just one, so Isabelle said get a few things."

"So I'm guessing you're going to the ball with him…" Sunny quipped with a teasing tone. "Is there anything between you two?"

"Friends." Riza answered quickly.

"Bad answer, you're more than friends." Charm joined in on the teasing.

"Okay… then we're really close."

"Still not good enough… but I'll take it. For now." Sunny said, crossing her arms.

"Very good then. Who are you going with?" Riza asked her two friends, still smiling.

"George…" Charm answered.

"As much as I didn't want to go with a date, Joseph Chang from the other class is taking me." Sunny replied, slightly not happy about having a date.

"Who's Christella going with?" Riza asked.

"Who, her? You know what, she was so crushed when she found out that Roy was taking you, but it turns out… when she asked Roy, she already had five guys asking her. How thick." Sunny narrated.

"Then when Roy turned her down, because he's going with you, and I am glad he's going with you, she didn't give the guys an easy time… In the end, she chose to go with Anton Priduex." Charm finished. Riza just laughed.

"Speaking of which, look at her still trying to talk Roy into going with her." Charm noted. Roy just came in and Christella immediately went over to him like a firefly attracted to a source of light.

"You're not going to stop her are you?" Sunny asked.

"Of course not… Roy can handle himself, and I'm not clingy." Riza replied.

"Good for you, friend." Sunny told her. "Oh Ms. R. is here!"

"Everyone sit on the floor, let's hurry so we can eat and exchange gifts." She said coming in, bring a large paper bag with her. Everyone quickly followed and they formed a large circle and all the food was in the middle. Roy went over to Riza and sat down beside her. Charm gave her a small smile.

"Open up, I want to sit." Ms. Ramirez said with a smile and sat down between Julia and Amber. "Ms. Curtis, please begin." Christella stood up and started the program.

"Hey everyone! First, let's greet each other Merry Christmas! One more week people." Before anyone could start greeting, she played music using her iPod.

"Volume down a bit, Ms. Curtis. We don't want to disturb other classes."

"Of course, Ms. Ramirez." Christella said as she turned the volume down. Everyone greeted each other Merry Christmas and then only the music could be heard.

"Next, we prepared a little surprise for Peter Green, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" She greeted in a loud, cheerful voice as some of her friends stood up and gave him a small chocolate cake.

"Thanks!" Peter said, surprised.

"Happy birthday, Mr. Green." Ms. Ramirez greeted.

"Thank you, ma'am."

"Hey Peter, since it's your birthday, why don't you start by giving out your gift?" Christella suggested. Peter nodded and stood up, holding a gift wrapped in a shiny silver wrapper.

"This person… I had a bit of difficulty actually deciding what to get her, but finally decided to get her something that will help her showcase her creativity. Merry Christmas, Rose." He said before going across the room and handing the gift to Rose Flanders, who was wearing a blue scarf with her uniform. She stood up and hugged him and replied thanks. Then it was her turn to give her gift to her secret Santa (Amethyst). Then the cycle went on.

"The person I picked is a really great person. Even if she was new, she fit in perfectly. To our batch rep, Merry Christmas! I hope you like it, Riza!" Carina Adler said before handing Riza a big paper bag. Riza stood up and met her half way and gave her a hug.

"Thank you so much. Merry Christmas!" Riza greeted. Carina went back to her place and Riza picked up the gift she was going to give and put down the one she received.

"The person I picked… is very close to me and he has been very good to me. He made me feel very welcome here, even treating me as a part of his family. He's such a wonderful friend, and I'm glad that I met you." She turned and faced Roy. "Merry Christmas, Roy." He looked at her, surprised, but traded his smirk for a soft smile. He stood up and walked over to Riza, giving her a tight hug and a small kiss. Ms. Ramirez just cleared her throat and Roy acknowledged it by just thanking Riza. Then she sat down and Roy picked up the gift he was going to give.

"It wasn't easy getting this person a gift." Roy admitted. "For one I didn't know if she was going to bite my head off or something." Roy joked. "I'm kidding of course, because I had the honor of getting to know her better by being on the council. She's been like our second mo-" Roy paused, rethinking his words. "Oh wait, not mother… she'd be offended. Maybe she's like our older sister. Merry Christmas, Ms. Ramirez!" Ms. Ramirez laughed and stood up.

"Thank you, Mr. Mustang, and yes, I'm not going to bite your head off, and yes you were right in not calling me your second mother, or I'd be offended." Ms. Ramirez told him with a laugh.

"Haha, thanks, Ms. R." Roy greeted with his smirk.

--

"You got me a lot… hopefully it didn't cost a lot." Roy told Riza as they were walking to the council office.

"Don't think about it. It's alright. Isabelle helped me pick out the gifts."

"Typical Isabelle." Roy muttered. "But… you got me a new soundtrack, a new hoodie, two books…"

"Don't mention it, Roy." Riza interrupted with a smile. "Come on we'll be late for the meeting."

--

That night, Riza was preparing all that she needed: her new dress, now dry cleaned, her pair of silver shoes with three inch heels, and her small purse. In the middle of all the preparation, her cell phone rang and she picked it up.

"Yes, hello good evening." She politely greeted.

"Riza is that you?" Riza immediately recognized the voice as Isabelle's.

"Isabelle? What can I do for you?"

"Oh nothing much… I just wanted to ask if you want me to come over and help you prepare or we can go over to the parlor and have your make-up done." Isabelle said.

"Oh… I was planning to go to the parlor tomorrow. Sure you can come with me if you want, I'd really like that. As long as you don't tell Roy."

"Hahaha, I don't plan on doing that." Isabelle said with a laugh. "Anyways, I'll see you tomorrow then! You have to get your beauty sleep. Trust me, it always works to get eight hours of sleep."

"Thanks for the advice then, Isabelle. I'll see you tomorrow." Riza said, and smiling she ended the call. Isabelle was truly a person that Riza liked. She was fun, but she knows her limits. She wished that she had a sister like that. Somehow, she envied Roy because he had a family. A place he can call home. Beatrice's words rang out in her head as she lay down on her bed. She ended up just sleeping it off and taking Isabelle's advice.

--

The next day, Riza had gotten up a bit late and by the time she had gotten up, Beatrice had left for work, leaving just a note on the fridge about what she has to do before she leaves for the ball. She just glanced at it and went to her chores. Isabelle would come a bit before lunch so they could have lunch together before they hit the salon.

"I absolutely think that this will be fun!" Isabelle said very happy as they strolled through the mall.

"Wouldn't Roy need the car later?" Riza asked, fixing the white scarf around her neck.

"Nah, Colleen's actually lending him her car tonight. Her car's much fancier than the family car." Riza's mouth dropped. The Mustang's family car was as expensive as it is. Then again, Colleen was already working, and she earned a lot, Riza told herself.

"That's actually new for Colleen, because she rarely lends out her car… especially not to Roy. She thinks Roy is far to young… oh dear sister always under estimates brother dear." Isabelle said with a laugh. Riza smiled as they entered the restaurant they were going to have lunch in. They ate and once in a while, Isabelle would ask a few things and Riza would ask her questions as well.

"Ah that was good… at least we have enough time. Roy's pretty punctual."

"Yeah I noticed." Riza said as they entered the parlor Isabelle loved going to.

"Time to get pretty!" Isabelle said beaming.

--

By the time they were done, it was nearly time and Isabelle took Riza home to get her dress on. The entire time, Roy was texting Riza asking if Isabelle had gotten her way once more and if she was ready.

"That Roy… always over worries." Isabelle muttered as she checked her phone for messages.

"He's a great guy… a true gentleman."

"Yeah, I know. Grandmama loves him so much. He's her favorite among all of us. He always gets special favors." Isabelle told her smiling. "But I'm better, I'm grandpapa's favorite… although he also likes Colleen because of what she has achieved so far."

"My grandfather is like that… he loved my mother so much and supported her all the way. And as a result, he loved me a lot too among all my cousins. That's why some of my cousins don't like the way he favors me over them… oh by the way, I'd love it if you and Roy met my grandfather… and maybe your entire family! You have been so good to me."

"I would love that! Christmas day, I presume? Oh and don't mess with your curls… it suits you well." Isabelle told her. Riza's hair was clipped into a neat half ponytail with a silver ribbon clip and the ends were curled to make her hair look in between wavy and curly.

"I do thank you for all the advice you gave me."

"Don't worry about that… I actually enjoyed it. It will be years before Sarah reaches that level… and she's kind of problematic because she's slightly tomboyish. Ooh we're here." Isabelle said as they pulled up in front of Riza's house. It was starting to get dark, and all the lights on the street were on.

"I can't wait to see you in your dress!" Isabelle clapped her hands happily as she and Riza got out of the car. Riza laughed and opened the door to her house.

"Beatrice isn't home yet… she gets home late because she still hangs out with her friends usually." Riza said as she removed her coat and put it on the couch. Make yourself comfy. I'll just change into my dress."

"Fantastic. You won't mind if I flipped through the channels right?"

"No sure, go ahead." Riza said as she went up the stairs and into her room. She put her bag down on her bed and transferred some of the stuff she had to her purse. Then she took out her dress and undressed then put her dress on. When she was done dressing she stood in front of her mirror and looked at herself. She looked different. In her opinion she looked more like a girl now more than ever. The subtle hint of makeup, a hint of pink on her cheeks, her curled hair, it all made her feel so different. She put on simple pearl earrings and a simple necklace. Then she got her purse, made sure everything in her room was in its proper place, then went down to where Isabelle was.

"Thank god you came down… Roy will be here any moment, he texted me. Forever punctual." Isabelle said before turning to face Riza who was coming down the stairs. "Oh my god. Roy will be stunned. You look so beautiful!" She said, beaming as she stood up and went towards Riza. "Let me look at you. I knew cream was the right color! You look so pretty! We should get a picture together. And don't forget to bring your camera. I want pictures of you and my brother!"

"Slow down Isabelle, you'll run out of breath." Riza said laughing.

"I'm so happy! This will be such a great ball, I can feel it." Isabelle said. Before she could say anything else, another car pulled out in front of the house and they heard a door open then close.

"That'll be Roy." Riza said.

"Oh okay… grab your coat, I'll get my camera and yours so that I can take pictures." Isabelle said. At that moment, Roy had knocked on the door and Riza, after putting on her coat, opened the door for him.

"Good evening." Roy said, and it took some time for Riza's appearance to sink in. "Oh my god…"

"What do you think?" Riza asked in a soft voice.

"Damn… you look so beautiful, Riza." Roy said stepping in and giving her a hug. Then he pulled out a small box from his pocket which contained a corsage with light pink and white roses and some other small flowers. He opened the box and put it around Riza's wrist.

"Did I tie it right?" Roy said as he finished.

"Thank you so much." Riza said smiling.

"You two, look here and smile!" Isabelle said loudly, waving her arms and the camera. The two turned and Roy let out a groan.

"I thought you went home already." Roy muttered.

"And miss this? No can do, Roy. Now smile." Isabelle told him sharply and the two posed. Isabelle took a lot of photos and was smiling the entire time.

"This is great!" She said beaming.

"Are you done?" Roy said, frowning slightly.

"I still have Riza's camera."

"We'll be late."

"I'll be quick." And without waiting for a reply, she snapped away, and until she was satisfied all the two could do was smile and pose. When she was done, she gave the two a hug and gave Roy last minute reminders before they were able to leave.

"Don't forget to tell us if you're coming home!" Isabelle said as she boarded her car while Riza was locking the door.

"You told me that five times. I'm not deaf. Go home, mom will be looking for you." Roy told her.

"Alright, have fun you two! I want pictures." She said before boarding the car and leaving for home. Not long after, the two boarded Colleen's car and made their way to the ball venue. The trip wasn't too long, they were then within ten minutes because there wasn't any traffic at all. They also found that they were pretty early too, since there were not too many people there yet. They signed their attendance before looking for the other council members who were testing out the photobooths.

"Good you're here!" Hughes said as he greeted his best friend with a clap on his shoulder. Then he turned to Riza.

"Nice… you look different and very pretty, Riza." Hughes complimented and Riza said thanks. "Oh and I'd like you to meet my very lovely and smart girlfriend, Gracia! Gracia studies in another school in the city." Hughes said, calling his girlfriend from where she was talking to Aurelia and her date. "Of course, Roy has already met her…" Gracia went up to Hughes and smiled. She had light brown hair and sparkling green eyes.

"Gracia, this is Riza Hawkeye… she's new this year and she made it to the council after Sophia left." Riza extended a hand and Gracia shook it.

"A pleasure to meet you, I'm Riza."

"Gracia. I've heard so much about you from Maes. He keeps telling me about how you and Roy get along so well! Roy needs someone to be there for him." Riza blushed at the comment. "Ooh, blushing." Gracia teased further and the two laughed.

"We're trying out the photobooths. Care to join us? Later we won't be able to get our photos taken because there will be a lot of people." Hughes told the two and the two agreed and had pictures taken. Riza had solo pictures taken, then a lot of pictures with Roy (Hughes took pictures using his camera and Riza's camera), then Roy had picture of himself before they had a lot of group photos taken.

"Hey, let me join in!" A voice called out and Ed approached the group. Beside him was his partner, whom Riza could only assume to be his friend, Winry.

"Good evening, Edward. Oh and good to see you again, Winry! How have you been?" Roy asked, acting much sweeter when he addressed Winry.

"Hey, Roy! I'm well thanks." Winry replied. She had long, golden hair and her eyes were a shade of blue.

"Good to hear. Oh and this is Riza Hawkeye." Roy introduced Riza as the two have not met.

"Oh hi! Nice to meet you! I'm Winry." Winry greeted very cheerful as if she and Riza had known each other for a very long time.

"It's great to meet you too! You have such an infectious personality!" Riza said as the two hugged.

"Looks like they get together well, Mustang." Ed told him.

"Heck yeah, better than the two of us." Roy commented.

"Oh don't give me that, I thought you were my friend." Ed complained.

"Sure, whatever." Roy said before they continued posing in front of the photobooth for pictures.

--

The ball started on time, much to the relief of the council members and the organizers. The atmosphere was lively and everyone was in such high spirits. People were dancing and exchanging greetings and gifts. Everything went as scheduled and before they all went for food outside the hall, they announced the winner of the first cellphone and the first iPhone (the cellphone went to a freshman and the iPhone went to a very happy senior.) After all the cheering and the laughter most people went out to check the photobooths and the food, and the council did the same. They got food and sat down in a small corner that had beanbags and a carpet. They sat down and exchanged stories and took a lot of pictures as well.

"Thank god everything's going according to plan." Hughes commented.

"You've done such a good job on it too!" Gracia complimented him, making Hughes swoon in delight before giving his girlfriend a hug.

"I'm guessing you two will be going to the same college…" Riza told her.

"We're hoping that that happens… we won't know for sure until the results come out, but we do plan to take the exams for the same schools. Most of the exams are in January so that's nerve-racking." Gracia explained.

"But you're so smart honey bunch." Hughes told her making Gracia blush.

"Oh you flatter me too much Maes." Gracia said laughing. Roy and Riza were laughing too and later, when everyone was done eating and the music was turned up, they all got up to dance.

"May I have this dance?" Roy asked politely. Riza extended her hand and allowed Roy to lead her to the dance floor where they danced to slow music at first.

"This is great." Roy told her. "You look so beautiful tonight."

"Thank your sister for that… she really is an expert on things like this." Riza told him.

"Isabelle's just upset that Sarah doesn't show as much enthusiasm."

"Yeah I heard." Riza said. She paused before asking him about meeting her grandfather. "Hey Roy… I asked Isabelle and she said yes… I want you to meet my grandfather. He'll be here on Christmas day and I'd love it if he met you and your family since you and your family have been so kind to me." Roy seem startled by the request, but just smiled.

"Now that makes me nervous." Roy said with a laugh. "I'm sure Isabelle will bring that up with my parents and I'm sure they love to meet your grandfather too. I would definitely love to meet him. It's just right to introduce myself to him."

"Great! I'll tell grandpa that when he calls again… if he does call again." Riza said as they danced to the slow, sweet music. "That makes me so happy, Roy." She told him softly. He gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"I'm glad that it makes you happy… I want to see you happy."

--

**Sorry to end it there! This is such a long chapter… I found it hard to write HAHA. But thanks so much if you're going to read this. And I would definitely love to hear reviews from you! All the best and happy new year once more guys!**


	30. A Christmas Visit

**Hey guys! Yes once more I got time to write, so I'm able to bring you fresh updates! I tried (but failed at trying to update using real world time as my friend said) but oh well, that won't stop me from bringing you new chapters. As usual, thank you so much for all those who took time to read and review. I really appreciated it.**

**And although Christmas is over (actually it's 352 days til Christmas at the time I started writing this fic.), I bring you chapter 30: A Christmas Visit.**

**--**

**CHAPTER 30: A Christmas Visit**

The Christmas break had began and school wasn't going to open until the second week of January. For Riza this meant that Beatrice will be out for a week and a half, Sunny and her family would be abroad to celebrate Christmas, Charm and her family were going down south, and she would be celebrating Christmas Eve with the Mustangs. Not to mention a small pile of homework and council work give to them (most from Ms. Ramirez who did not think they should slack off during the break, but still knew that they would put it off until the last minute.)

Most importantly, Riza looked forward to Christmas Day. In her mind, it was going to be a happy event ever since her father died. Her grandfather was coming to visit her, despite her aunts not knowing. Riza actually preferred that her aunts didn't know that her grandfather visited her. Likewise, her grandfather thought the same. If her aunts knew of the visit, they would have something to say against it.

These days, Riza just lay in bed reading a book, and sometimes watched tiny snowflakes fall from the sky, forming a thin layer of snow on the ground. Snowfall where she was wasn't as harsh and heavy as when she was in Crystal Springs, up north. It was chilly, but still tolerable. Occasionally, Roy would give her a call and ask her how she was. If it wasn't Roy, it was Isabelle all excited for when she joins them for Christmas Eve dinner. As much as she was very happy to be with a family to celebrate Christmas, she was rather anxious at how Roy's extended family (which included their grandparents) would treat her.

One day, in the middle of doing her homework, the phone rang, and since Beatrice wasn't there, (Riza was thankful that she wasn't there when she answered the call) her grandfather called her.

"Grandpa! How are you?" She greeted happily as she picked up the cordless phone and went back up to her room to have some bit of privacy.

"Feeling lovely my dear, but the question here is, how are you?" Her grandfather returned the question.

"I'm alright grandpa, just doing some homework so I could enjoy the rest of my break. I'm so excited to see you again!"

"Likewise my dear. I wanted to see you for a very long time, however you do know that your Aunt Maybelle and Aunt Sophie usually decide against it. Until now I do not get what they have against that. But I will leave early so I can take the earliest train possible so I can spend more time with you."

"What if Aunt Maybelle or Aunt Sophie goes looking for you? After all that is Christmas day..." Riza asked, worried that her aunts might find out about the visit.

"Do not worry too much. Your Aunt Sophie is going abroad with her family to spend Christmas. As for your Aunt Maybelle, I told her that my old chums invited me over, and she agreed thinking it would be better if I spent my Christmas happy doing things I actually like." Her grandfather explained.

"Oh, that's good grandpa… I don't want either of them to get mad at you because of me."

"Like I told you, don't worry. I am very excited to see you again."

"Oh grandpa, when you're here, I'd like you to meet a friend of mine and his family who have been very good to me here."

"Oh I'd love to meet your friend. I assume that you would be spending time with your friend this season?"

"Yes grandpa, I'll be spending Christmas eve with their family, and I told him that I'd introduce him to you. And also his entire family."

"Splendid! I'd love to know the people who have taken good care of my darling Riza during this time. Anyway my dear, I have to go. I think I hear your Aunt Maybelle coming in right now. I shall see you soon."

"Good-bye grandpa." Riza said as she ended the call and went back downstairs to put back the phone in its cradle.

--

Three nights before the Christmas Eve dinner Riza lay in her bed and pondered on how it will all go about. The Mustang's home was rather large and she wasn't surprised when Roy told her that his extended family would be spending Christmas Eve with them. She wondered if they would treat her like her extended family, save for her grandfather, treated her. She wondered if they were as nice as the Mustang Family. Then all of a sudden she thought of the remaining letters she had hidden in a secret and special spot in her room. She wondered if her parents had written her anything for Christmas, and at the same time she wondered whether or not she was able to get hold on that letter when she was at her house. She got up from her bed, and staying silent for a few minutes to make sure Beatrice, who would be leaving in the morning, wasn't awake. Then she crept over to her closet where she kept some of her old books. She looked at the back of the closet until she found a rather large, hardbound math book. She flipped it open and looked for the middle. Her friends had made that for her as a joke because she really loved to read. The center of the pages was cut out, leaving a small space to hide things. And so no one else will think of looking there, the latter pages were glued together so it won't give in at any point. There the letters were neatly placed, along with some other things Riza held close to her heart.

She looked through each of the five letters she and Roy were able to take. Two had already been opened, but the three others remained sealed in discolored envelopes. She looked if anything was written on the back of the envelopes and saw there was one that had a date written on it. It made Riza happy because the date had intended for the letter to be read on Christmas day. Which Christmas, Riza did not know anymore. She was thinking whether or not she would open the envelope, but later decided not to and wait for Christmas day so she could read it with her grandfather. Besides, she told herself, her grandfather would be happier if he read something from her parents on a very special day. So she put the letters back in the book, closed the book and she placed it back in its spot, not looking conspicuous but it looked like just any other book.

--

Beatrice had left early in the morning, leaving Riza a note on the fridge that said: _I went home. Mom says don't do anything reckless. Be back before New Year. Merry Christmas._

The note was hurried and it was clear that not much thought was put in writing it. But Riza just shrugged it off and proceeded to make herself breakfast. Then instead of eating it at the dining table, she brought it to the living room, where she found it more comfortable to eat while watching the morning news. She was deciding whether or not she was going to go to the mall to just chill out when the phone rang. It was Isabelle.

"Hey there Riza!" Isabelle's excited voice said through the phone.

"Good morning Isabelle, you're up early."

"Of course I am. Early to bed, early to rise blah, blah, blah. Although Roy is still in bed… anyway, I wanted to ask if you're up for some girl bonding once more."

"Just when I was thinking whether or not I'd go to the mall."

"Perfect! I'll take that as a yes then? Colleen's coming with us. I actually persuaded her to come. Maybe Roy will be coming because he'll be meeting some people at the mall. Otherwise if he came, it wouldn't be an all girls' bonding trip." Isabelle reasoned.

"What about Sarah?" Riza asked about the youngest Mustang daughter.

"Sarah has her own schedule… she's going to some place with her friends. Typical her wanting to spend more time with her friends than her own sisters."

"You sound bitter." Riza said laughing.

"No I don't. It's great that my little sister found things she's actually interested in. Actually, I think she won't be following mom or dad's footsteps. Oh well. So, I'll come by around eleven?"

""Sure of course!" Riza answered.

"Alright then. Bye!" After the call, Riza went back to her breakfast.

--

Isabelle stayed true to her word, and she was on time when she went to fetch Riza. Riza made sure everything was in its proper order before stepping out and locking the door. She boarded the Mustang's family car, where Colleen, Isabelle and Roy were.

"Good morning." Riza greeted. Colleen was seated in front, Isabelle by the door beside the passenger's seat behind the driver. Roy moved over to give Riza space.

"Good morning Riza." He greeted her with a quick hug as they left Riza's place.

"How have you been?" Riza asked.

"Great. Almost done with all the homework given to us. I finally proved Isabelle wrong."

"Oh shut up, you're just happy you got money from me. That bet was no fair. Of course you'd do your best to finish all your work before grandpapa and grandmamma get here."

"Don't be bitter, big sister." Roy said in a slightly teasing voice.

"Shut it Roy Christopher Mustang."

"Cool it you two." Colleen called out from the front. Riza rarely heard from the eldest of the Mustang children. "We have a guest."

"Yes, master." Isabelle and Roy said in unison, attempting to make Colleen loosen up a bit.

"Shut it you two." Colleen said in a much harsher tone.

"Ooh, you're just like us, Ms. Lawyer." Isabelle teased.

"Shut it. If you will keep acting like this in front of our relatives tomorrow, I'll give you a big lecture if mom and dad don't, even if it's Christmas." Colleen said with a certain tone of finality that made the two keep their thoughts to themselves.

"Killjoy." Roy muttered under his breath.

"I heard that." Colleen said in her sharp tone. That made Roy cringe and shut up.

--

As soon as they got to the mall, Roy left them and went over to where he will meet some of his friends. The girls went around the mall first, once in a while entering a few shops.

"Colleen, don't be afraid to splurge once in a while." Isabelle lectured her older sister.

"I want to save some of my earnings." Colleen reasoned.

"You still have to buy me my Christmas gift." Isabelle reminded her with a wink.

"I already bought your gifts. It's Riza's that I haven't gotten yet." Colleen said.

"Well that's bad timing, she's here with us." Isabelle said laughing.

"Oh no, I don't mind if you don't get me anything… I'm totally fine with it." Riza quickly said.

"Don't say that… you are like a younger sister to me, it's just right I get you something." Colleen said looking through a rack of skirts.

"The way you say it, you make it sound too serious." Isabelle said.

"Stop it, if I fooled around a lot, think of what our relatives will say."

"That you're no fun."

"I said stop it. Hurry, I'll just fit these skirts then I'll move to dresses. Riza do you prefer dresses or a shirt or a blouse?" Colleen asked as she pulled out a few white skirts.

"Um, I really don't mind if you don't get me anything." Riza pushed, slightly embarrassed.

"Shush, she wants a new dress. Something casual but still comfy." Isabelle answered for Riza.

"I was asking Riza." Colleen said as she walked over to the fitting rooms.

"I can answer for her." Isabelle retorted. "Hurry and fit those clothes. I want to get yoghurt."

"Why don't you and Riza get some dresses for her? I'm paying. As soon as I'm done, I'll look for you guys." Colleen said as she entered the fitting rooms leaving Isabelle and Riza there.

"Yes. Alone without her nagging." Isabelle said laughing. "Come on! That's one command I want to obey." Isabelle said, grabbing Riza's hand and leading her to the teen department. As soon as they got there, Isabelle took control and picked out the best dresses for Riza.

"Can't use my personal shopper or Colleen will go berserk. Go ahead, you can pick out one dress. I picked out like four already for you." She said pointing out to a small pile of dresses, two of them white with black, intricate designs, one light blue with flower embroideries, and the last cream and simple. "Colleen's not going to like it if I picked out all your dresses. At least I can justify that you picked it out. And if she says no, I'll buy whatever she doesn't want to for you." Isabelle said smiling. Riza stood up, hesitant at first. She really didn't like accepting a lot of gifts. Isabelle and Colleen were being nice too her. She went to the racks and picked out a dress. It didn't take a long time because one dress caught her attention. She pulled it out and examined it further. It was a light pink colored spaghetti strap dress with intricate flower designs.

"I like this one." Riza said smiling. Isabelle stood up and examined the dress further. The dress was made of cotton, and it was very soft.

"Good choice, go fit all the dresses and we'll meet Colleen at the checkout counter." Isabelle told her. "Now you know how it is to go on a mall trip with us."

--

They left the department store not long after (Colleen had protested Isabelle's picking out most of the dresses which Isabelle denied with an innocent smile), and went off to get a bite to eat.

"Yoghurt bar, yay." Isabelle said smiling as they entered a yoghurt bar. There were several ice-cream machines in the corner so you can select the flavor of yoghurt that you wanted.

"Save us a seat, Colleen. I'll take Riza first and show her how to get the yoghurt." Isabelle said, knowing that it was Riza's first time at the yoghurt bar.

"I love yoghurt. Do you?" Isabelle asked as she picked out a small cup, one for her, and one for Riza.

"I'm okay with it." Riza replied.

"So here's what you do, there are eight flavors. Coffee, Green Tea, Chocolate, Apple, Taro, Peanut Butter, mango and the original flavor. There are separate levers for them and there's a lever in the middle. The lever in the middle will combine the two flavors. You can get all flavors if you want. Then when you're done, you move over to the toppings. You can put fruits, candies whatever. Then we'll have them weighed. You pay it by the ounce. So don't worry." Isabelle said as she went ahead and picked out Coffee, Chocolate and the Original flavor. Riza followed and got Coffee and the original flavor. Then they got toppings. Riza got mangoes, cherries, marshmallows, gelatin and a wafer stick. Then she and Isabelle had them weighed. Then after, Isabelle paid for it before they went back to their table and Colleen stood up to get her yoghurt.

"Eat up… it's healthy!" Isabelle said smiling taking a spoonful of her yoghurt. "It may seem sour, but it's good." Riza tried it and she actually liked it. It went well with the fruits.

"Thanks so much for inviting me." Riza said as Colleen sat down with her yoghurt.

"Don't mention it." Colleen said. "It was a great bonding experience. I'm sure the rest of the family will love you as much as we did."

"Speaking of which… your aunts and uncles will be there as well right?" Riza asked.

"Yeah… and our cousins. Actually, it's more of dad's side of the family. Most of mom's family are abroad." Isabelle explained. "Dad has a younger brother and two younger sisters."

"And they're all married except for Aunt Chris." Colleen added.

"Aunt Chris likes Roy the most." Isabelle said laughing.

"Yeah… and we have younger cousins too, and they're such an energetic bundle."

"Agree. I'm sure the kids will love you Riza." Isabelle said smiling.

"Thanks, I feel sort of nervous meeting your extended family."

"Don't. They're all great to be with, trust me." Colleen said assuring her.

--

The next few days went by, and soon it was Christmas Eve. Riza woke up to a chilly weather and snowfall outside her window. She checked her phone and opened a few messages, full of greetings for the holidays. Then she went down, made herself breakfast, then ate in front of the television once more. After, she cleaned the house, dusting the bookshelves and the tables and sweeping the floor. Then she made sure the things she was going to wear for the dinner at the Mustang's was ready. Then she just went on to do homework.

It was a quiet morning for Riza and the day went by fast. Two hours before Roy was going to pick her up, she had already showered and dressed up. She wore the cream dress Isabelle had picked out for her on their shopping trip. As for her hair, she used a headband to keep it neat and tidy.

Roy was punctual as usual. Riza went down and opened the door for him and let him enter the house while she finished tidying up.

"We'll drop by the grocery to pick up some softdrinks, if you don't mind." Roy told her as he sat down on the couch as she went to the kitchen to finish cleaning the dishes.

"Sure, that's no problem." Riza called out. "Are your grandparents there already?"

"Yeah… and so is my Aunt Chris and my Uncle Barry and his family."

"I see. I'll be finished in a minute, hold on." Riza said. She finished putting all the dishes in their proper container. Then she dried her hands and straightened out her dress before going back to the living room.

"Ready to go?" Roy asked.

"Yeah." Riza said. Roy stood up, grabbed her coat and her bag for her, then helped her put on the coat.

"It's chilly outside… it's best if you wear your coat." Roy said softly.

"Thanks." Riza said as she slipped her arms through the sleeves. Roy opened the door for her, and Riza stepped out before Roy, then she locked the door. Roy put his arm around her as they walked to the car. As soon as they were comfortably seated inside the car, they left Riza;s house and went to the grocery to pick up a few things they needed for the Christmas dinner.

--

As soon as they were done with Roy's chores, they went to his home. The house was so bright and cheery because there were lights everywhere, and the snow on the ground made it look even more beautiful .

"Perfect, everyone's there already." Roy said.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Come on." Roy said as he opened the door. Riza immediately took the grocery bags.

"I'll take that." Roy said as soon as Riza went down the car, carrying the grocery bags.

"There's still one more, you can take that one." Riza told him, smiling. "It's the least I can do."

"No… mom's going to lecture me for letting you carry things."

"I'm not fragile, I'm perfectly fine. You're over worrying." Riza said laughing.

"No… you're my guest, and you shouldn't be carrying things." Roy reasoned. But Riza went out of his reach and went up to the doors of the house. Roy just sighed and grabbed the last bag before joining Riza at the door of his house.

"Seriously…" Roy started.

"You should stop worrying about me." Riza just told him. He just didn't say anything else because the look in her eye told him to give it up. He just opened the door and entered the house. At the same moment, Isabelle was coming down the stairs with Sarah.

"Oh good you're here!" Isabelle greeted, quickly making her way to Roy and Riza. "Go on ahead, Sarah. And tell mom and dad that Roy and Riza are here." The youngest Mustang girl simply nodded and went inside the dining room from which loud chatter could be heard.

"You look so beautiful, Riza!" Isabelle complimented.

"Thanks… you too." Riza replied. Isabelle was wearing a light green dress and matching heels.

"Roy I thought you weren't going to let Riza carry anything!" Isabelle exclaimed seeing that Riza was carrying a grocery bag. "You're going to ruin her dress, what are you thinking? And she's our guest." Before Roy could say anything, Riza spoke up in his defense.

"I insisted, Isabelle. No need to get mad at Roy." She said with a convincing smile. Isabelle looked at her then back at Roy before just giving it up.

"Come on, everyone's waiting." Isabelle simply said as they made their way to the dining room. Isabelle opened the door to the two and they all entered the room. All the lights were on and there was a very well decorated Christmas tree by the corner.

"Mom, dad, Riza's here!" Isabelle said loudly, calling her parents' attention. James and Cameron were talking to their relatives and turned to look at them when Isabelle called.

"Riza, darling! You made it." Cameron said happily as she approached Riza and gave her a hug. "Roy Christopher Mustang, I thought I told you that you were to carry all the bags."

"Mom, Riza insisted." Roy protested.

"Then take the bags and put them over there on the table. Cook will take care of them, then take Riza' coat and then hang it in the hall." Cameron instructed.

"I can help him, Mrs. Mustang, it's alright." Riza said smiling and before Cameron could say anything, Riza quickly pushed Roy to move.

"Thanks." Roy muttered.

"Don't mention it." Riza replied. As soon as they did what Cameron wanted them to do, Roy and Riza went back to where his parents were.

"Ah good, you're back. Roy, where are your manners? Introduce Riza to your grandparents." James said, giving his son a pat on the back. Roy first gave a kiss to his grandmother and his grandfather.

"Grandmama, Grandpapa, this is Riza Hawkeye, a good friend of mine." Roy said, his arm around Riza. Riza smiled at his grandparents. She could see the trademark Mustang eyes, and his grandparents didn't look too old.

"It's very nice to meet you." Riza said extending her hand to Roy's grandfather who shook it. Then she gave a hug to Roy' grandmother. For an old woman, Roy's grandmother hugged her really tight.

"It's wonderful to finally meet you my dear. Roy's parents have been telling me so much about you." His grandmother said. "I'm Liezl Mustang, and this is my husband, Thomas."

"My, you are pretty in person. A while ago, James was showing us pictures of you and our Roy at the ball." Thomas told her, making Riza blush a light shade of pink.

"Thank you so much. You look quite young for your age, I think." Riza said, unsure at first.

"Why that's sweet of you. Actually I'm just seventy-four and my husband a year older."

"Then you don't look your age." Riza replied smiling.

"Ah, I think Roy should introduce you to his favorite aunt." Thomas said chuckling as a rather large woman, wearing a black dress, with raven colored hair and the trademark Mustang eyes approached them.

"What's all this?" She asked. "Ah Roy my boy, how are you? Come here and give your Aunt Chris a hug." Roy grinned, slightly embarrassed that he was being treated like a boy, but still went over to give his aunt a hug, who later ruffled his hair.

"My you've grown, Roy." Chris Mustang pointed out.

"Just an inch or two." Roy muttered.

"How many times have I told you to stop muttering?" Chris told him.

"Oh sorry Aunt Chris, I keep forgetting. Oh and before I forget something else, I'd like to introduce a dear friend of mine. Aunt Chris…" He motioned for Riza to step closer to him, and she followed. "This is Riza Hawkeye."

"I'm pleased to meet you, Riza." She said extending her hand.

"Likewise. Roy has told me so much about you." Riza said, smiling as she shook Chris' hand. She was surprised when instead of shaking her hand, Chris pulled her for a hug.

"You're being good to my Roy?"

"Aunt Chris, she hasn't done anything wrong. She's actually a very good friend." Roy said, trying to keep himself from laughing. Sometimes his aunt can be just so defensive over him.

"Not like the Christella girl?"

"Of course not, auntie. She's much nicer and more talented than Christella." Roy explained.

"Well, that's good. All I want is my Roy to be happy, and if Roy is happy with you, then I'll be happy as well." Chris said with a laugh.

"We're not exactly in a relationship, Aunt Chris." Roy said in a low voice, aware that his parents and grandparents were listening.

"Well, it always starts with good friends, Roy." She replied winking. "Now James, shall we try that wine you've been telling me about?"

--

The dinner with the Mustang's went smoothly. Some of Roy's younger cousins had a liking towards Riza.

"Looks like you found yourself a younger sister." Roy told her as soon as his younger cousin Ashley sat down beside Riza and kept asking her questions.

"I don't mind, it must be great having a younger sister or even a younger cousin." Riza said smiling before going on to answer all of Ashley's questions.

As soon as they were done with dinner, Isabelle was asked to take all the younger kids out to the den for something to do, while the adults were going to have drinks and talk over 'adult things'.

"But I'm an adult." Isabelle protested.

"Exactly, you go there and watch over them." James told her.

"But Roy's old enough."

"You're older, and your father is telling you to do something. You just go there and obey." Cameron said and Isabelle gave in before proceeding to herd the younger kids out the door.

"Riza, you mind taking Ashley? She's not listening to me since she's taken a liking towards you." Isabelle said laughing at the stubbornness of her cousin.

"I don't mind sure." Riza said taking Ashley's small hand and leading her out the door. Roy followed her and closed the door behind him. When they were all in the den, Isabelle asked them what they wanted to do.

"Watch a movie!" Sarah and Christopher quickly answered.

"I'd like to ask the younger ones." Isabelle said.

"But they're not going to give you a clear answer." Sarah pointed out.

"Ashley's six. I'm sure she can tell us what she wants."

"Yeah and Todd, Stella and Mary are like what? Three, four and five?" Christopher said.

"It's just fair to ask the little kids." Isabelle told them. "So what do you want to do kids?" Isabelle asked in a much sweeter tone.

"I wanna hear Roy play the piano!" Ashley said, very excited.

"Me too!"

"Me twee!"

"Alright then, Roy will play the piano. You want to hear Riza sing? Riza's a great singer!" Isabelle suggested.

"I wanna here big sister Riza sing!" Ashley said smiling.

"Sing!" Todd piped up.

"I don't know…" Riza said unsure.

"Don't worry about it. We'll just play a simple Christmas carol." Roy told her as he went over to the piano. "Sit here beside me, Riza." Roy looked for a piece from the family collection. "We'll start simple, Jingle Bells."

--

It was almost ten when Roy took Riza home. After their mini concert, Isabelle granted Sarah and Christopher's wish and they watched a movie. Even before the movie ended, most of the little kids were fast asleep and Roy and Riza helped put them to bed upstairs, where they would be staying the night, before Roy took her home.

"I'll see you tomorrow. What time will your grandfather be coming?" Roy said as he walked her to her door.

"He said around seven I guess…" Riza tried to remember. "I'm going to the station myself to see him. And no you don't need to give me a ride, I'll be fine."

"You sure?"

"Definitely sure." Riza assured him. "You go back home now and get some rest. My grandfather really wants to meet you. Good night Roy." She gave him a hug before entering her house. As soon as the house lights were on, Roy went home.

--

The next day, Riza was up very early. She ate breakfast early before she dressed up and left the house to meet her grandfather. The snow was falling slowly to the ground. As she took the bus to the train station, she thought of what she and her grandfather would do for the day. It was Christmas. A very special day indeed. She pondered on all the possible things they could do, where they would eat, where they would meet up with Roy and his family. It was hard not to get lost in her thoughts. She almost missed her stop and only remembered she was getting off at the train station when the conductor announced that the doors were closing and that the bus was leaving the bus station.

"Hold on! I have to get off at this stop!" Riza suddenly exclaimed, standing up and gathering her things before quickly making her way out the bus, but not without turning a bit pink and muttering a soft Merry Christmas to the driver and conductor.

"Have a Happy Christmas, miss." The conductor returned the greeting with a smile. Riza nodded with a smile, still sort of pink in the face, before heading into the train station. As soon as she got in, she checked the arrival board and seeing as the train her grandfather was supposed to be on had already arrived; she went over to the arrivals area. She went through the crowd and craned her neck to look for her grandfather. She looked around for a while, and since the crowd was too thick, she went over to the benches and stepped on them to get a better view.

"Riza my dear, whatever are you doing on top of those benches?" A voice called out. She had heard the voice but did not look at the person who called out to her. The person just smiled and took her hand, and Riza looked down and saw her grandfather, in his winter clothes, holding a suitcase.

"Grandpa!" Riza exclaimed as she jumped off and gave her grandfather a hug. Her grandfather returned the hug with a hearty chuckle.

"You're too immersed in your thoughts my dear." Her grandfather noted.

"I'm sorry grandpa. It's been a hectic week, and I can't believe you're finally here!" Riza said, smiling. Her grandfather took her hand and together they walked out of the station. Augustus Grumman loved Riza the most among all his grandchildren, as he had loved her mother among his children.

"How has everything been?" Her grandfather asked her.

"All fine grandpa… although I've been alone for the past few days since Beatrice went home."

"It's perfect that your cousin went home." Her grandfather told her. "Merry Christmas, Riza my dear."

"Merry Christmas also grandpa." Riza said with a smile.

"You walked going here?" Her grandfather asked.

"No, grandpa… I took the bus. I almost went past the stop." Riza said laughing at her own mistake.

"Too immersed in your thoughts as well?" She nodded, turning pink again. "You are like your mother in so many ways, my dear."

"You miss her don't you grandpa?" She asked him in a soft voice as they stood at the bus stop, waiting for the next bus.

"Of course I do my dear… although I know that you miss her and your father terribly. I know it is difficult not having them here."

"I miss them… but somehow they're still with me one way or another." Riza replied. "Anyway grandpa, I'll show you something later, and we'll have lunch out or something… and then we'll meet up with my friend and his family."

"Ah, that friend you've told me so much about."

"Yes grandpa… I told him I'd introduce him to you."

"I should have brought my gun." He muttered as the bus came.

"Grandpa!" Grumman chuckled at Riza's response.

--

"Grandpa, Roy and his family will be here before lunch… Mr. and Mrs. Mustang would like to have lunch with us."

"Well I can't say no to an invitation can I?" Her grandfather told her as they entered the department store of the mall.

"You should go pick out a few things, Riza my dear… like clothes or shoes." Her grandfather told her.

"There's no need grandpa… Roy and his sisters have taken me shopping far too many times that I've developed some sort of aversion to spending too much." Riza said with a smile.

"Well let's just look around and as soon as your friend arrives we'll meet up with them." Her grandfather suggested. She nodded and they went around the department stores and went in and out of stores. When they entered a shoe store, she couldn't resist trying on shoes for fun and her grandfather ended up buying her a pair.

"You didn't have to."

"You looked nice in those flats. I'm sure if your parents were here, they would spoil you silly as well." Her grandfather commented. "Besides, if you kept trying on shoes without buying anything, probably the clerks won't let you in anymore."

"That's rather unlikely!"Riza said with a smile. Suddenly, her phone rang and she picked up.

"Hello? Yeah… no we're just going around the mall… yeah… okay we'll meet up with you as soon as you're here… Yeah. Okay then… I'll see you in a bit Roy!"

"Your friend?"

"Yes, grandpa… they're already at the parking area… his sister is just parking the car. He'll text me where they're going."

"Alright then my dear. I have to give you something later… when we get home, alright?"

"Yes of course grandpa."

--

As soon as Roy texted her, Riza and her grandfather went up to the restaurant where they would be meeting. They stood outside for a few minutes and soon Riza heard her name being called out. She turned and saw Isabelle coming towards her, looking so happy and cheerful.

"Merry Christmas Riza!" Isabelle said, smiling as she gave Riza a big hug.

"Merry Christmas too, Isabelle…." Riza said in a strained voice. Isabelle was hugging her so hard that she couldn't breathe properly. "Belle…. I can't breathe."

"OH! So sorry… I was just so excited. This is the Christmas season after all." Isabelle said letting Riza go.

"Where's the rest of your family?"

"Over there…" she said looking behind her and sure enough her family was coming towards them.

"I'll start with the introductions. It'll be pretty lengthy later. Grandpa, this is Roy's older sister, Isabelle." Riza introduced Isabelle to her grandfather, who was just watching amused at the discussion the two were having.

"I'm Isabelle Mustang. It's a pleasure to meet you sir." Isabelle said, her tone changing into a more serious and professional tone. She extended her hand and Grumman shook it.

"Ah, yes I've heard of you my dear! Riza has told me so much about you, you must be her shopping buddy. It's good that you're able to 'force' my granddaughter to go out and leave all the seriousness behind for even a while." He told her. Isabelle smiled.

"It's pretty easy to convince her." Isabelle replied.

"Really? The last time I noted… which was today, she had a hard time deciding whether or not she'll buy something."

"I have my ways sir." Isabelle said, still smiling.

"I do hope Isabelle isn't telling any lies." Cameron called out as she approached the three and put a hand on her daughter's shoulder.

"Your daughter is rather amiable and easy to get along with. And she's also rather smart." Grumman complimented.

"Yes, Isabelle is rather crafty." Cameron replied with pursed lips, as if to warn Isabelle about what she says. "I am Cameron Mustang, Roy' mother. Merry Christmas to you sir, and to you as well Riza."

"Thanks, Mrs. Mustang and merry Christmas too! This is my grandfather, Augustus Grumman."

"Pleasure, ma'am. And Merry Christmas." Grumman replied, adjusting his glasses.

"Allow me to introduce my family. This is James, my husband." James extended his hands and the two exchanged greetings. "And my children, my eldest, Colleen, my second, Isabelle and then Riza's friend, Roy, then Sarah and my youngest Christopher."

Roy was wearing a navy blue jacket over his clean and pressed polo shirt. As soon as his mother introduced him he quickly extended his hand and Grumman shook it.

"It's a pleasure to meet you sir. Riza has told me so much about you."

"And likewise, my granddaughter always has something to say about you. I'd like to thank you for taking good care of my Riza while she is here."

"Riza's a delight to our family and she is always welcome to our family."

"Well thank you, on behalf of my family. At least I can sleep soundly at night with the assurance if my other granddaughter does not take good care of her, she will always be able to turn to your family." Grumman replied.

"Well, let us not stand out here. Let us go inside the restaurant and have a chat over lunch, shall we?" James told them and together they all went into the restaurant.

--

"I do hope Riza's well taken care of here?" Grumman asked Roy who was seated on Riza's left.

"Of course sir. I do make it a point to make sure she gets home safe whenever we stayed at school late."

"That's good to hear my boy. At least I'm sure we'll get along well. You do know I want only the best for my Riza."

"I'm sure sir, and likewise, I would like to see Riza always happy." Roy replied before taking a sip of his drink. Riza gave him a nudge and glared at him a bit as if to say 'What the hell are you saying?!'

Roy just replied with his signature smirk and went back to conversing with Grumman.

"About your school…"

"Riza fits in rather well, she did get into the council when the rep had to resign due to the fact she was leaving. Frankly, the teachers trust her a lot."

"I'm sure they would. What other things are you going to do this year?"

"Well of course we still have to balance academics with all the other extra-curricular activities, but I'm sure we're doing fine."

"And what about the future?"

"Most likely follow my dad into law or something like that."

"I like your ambition, Roy. I'm sure you'll do very well and I'm glad that Riza actually met you. There's something in you that struck me the most. So while I'm not here, I am hoping that you take very good care of my granddaughter, because I know that she can trust you and with that I know that I can trust you as well."

"Thank you for trusting me, sir and I will not let you down."

"Then if that's the case my boy, you and I will be pretty good friends."

"I'm sure we will sir."

--

**Okay. Guys first I am so sorry I didn't update because of hell week/month. Plus I'll be pretty busy to the coming months so, please understand. Next, I couldn't find Grumman's first name (if he does have one that's mentioned) so I went ahead and gave him a different name oh well. **

**Thanks so much for reading and please do review!!! :)**


	31. Her Parents' Christmas Gift

**Hey there guys! Thanks so much for all the reviews you guys gave, and if you didn't review, thanks anyway for reading! It made me so happy hahaha. For the rest of the chapters, I'll be writing them on several occasions (Meaning whenever I can write, I will write.) So please understand that my schedule's a bit full write now, yeah… so there… Oh and, for this chapter, the lyrics (okay fine the song) Take A Bow is not mine, I just found it nice and I've decided to include this here. (Okay, I'm super LSS because of take a bow)**

**Usual disclaimers, blah, blah… But whatever, here's chapter 31: Her Parents' Christmas Gift.**

**--**

**CHAPTER 31: Her Parents' Christmas Gift**

It was already late in the afternoon when Riza, her grandfather and the Mustang family left the mall to go home. James and Cameron invited the two to have dinner with them, which they gratefully accepted and they boarded the Mustang's car.

"Thankfully we brought the larger car." Cameron said as Roy opened the door to allow them all in. Colleen got into the driver's seat and her father and Sarah in the front passenger's seat.

"You drive carefully, Colleen. Don't ram up the humps like a deranged driver."

"Mother, I drive so slow that I hate it. And I do not ram up the humps." Colleen said as she put the keys in ignition.

"You better let it pass. Mother thinks Colleen drives to fast, it reality, she doesn't." Roy whispered to Riza, almost breaking out into laughter.

"I don't mind, and I don't think grandpa minds either." Riza replied as she boarded the car and her grandfather followed her. Isabelle and Christopher were seated in the back seat, and Roy and his mother sat beside Riza and her grandfather.

"I do hope you don't mind roast chicken and other fixings for dinner, Mr. Grumman." Cameron told him.

"Oh I don't, in fact, I'm very grateful that you asked us to dinner! I cannot thank you enough for all the kindness and generosity you have displayed not only to me, but to my Riza. And please, just call me Augustus."

"Well we don't mind having you and Riza over. We love having people over, Augustus." Cameron said with a smile. "Our family lives on serving other people."

"Which is why I greatly admire your family."

--

"Roy take Riza and Augustus' coats and hang them properly." Cameron told him as soon as they entered the house. Roy quickly obeyed his mother and took the two's coats and went to the coat rack and put it properly there, before hanging his.

"If you would like, you can stay in the den and watch TV, or I think you would like a cup of coffee or tea?" James asked Augustus.

"I'd prefer coffee first."

"Of course, let us go into the dining room and I'll have some coffee and tea ready." James said as he, and Cameron led Augustus into the dining hall with Colleen and Sarah following them. Christopher went up to his room (according to Roy to play with all the new gadgets he had gotten for Christmas) and Isabelle went to the den.

"What do you want to do?" Roy asked her when they were the only ones left undecided on what to do.

"I think your piano demands a bit of TLC. Which means, use it." Riza said.

"You don't have to beat around the bush, I'd love to play for you. I would've last night but it was a full house."

"Oh yeah, speaking of which, all your relatives went home already?" Riza asked as they went to the den.

"Yeah, they left early in the morning. Slight change of plans actually because grandpa and grandma originally planned to stay here until the new year, but at the last minute they decided to go because Uncle Barry wanted to bring the kids to some kind of road trip, and grandma, grandpa and Aunt Chris were dropped off at their house. I think it's something like they don't want to burden us too much, although mom and dad love having them over. It's Isabelle who doesn't fancy the little kids." Roy said, his voice much louder when he talked about Isabelle.

"That's rather rude, Roy. I adore the little angels." Isabelle said as she glared at her younger brother.

"Now, now, we wouldn't want a fight on Christmas day, now would we?" Roy taunted as he readied the piano.

"You started it."

"And I'll finish it." Roy said as he pulled out the chair and he and Riza sat down. "So, what do you want to listen to?"

"Let's deviate from the usual carols." Riza said smiling.

"Great idea, wait, I'll need sheet music. What did you have in mind?" Roy said standing up to go to his room.

"It's up to you." Riza said.

"Oh, okay I know what to play. I'll just get the sheet music." So he ran out of the den, up the stairs and into his room. And while he was gone, Riza was playing a little tune on the piano. She never actually learned to play it properly. She had stopped learning how to play when she was ten, but she had a fairly good idea of the basics.

"That's a sweet tone…" Riza had completely forgotten that Isabelle was there. She had turned the volume of the TV done, probably to hear her better.

"It's something that I learned from my mother." They were both silent as they listened to Riza play the tune.

"When was the last time you had Christmas together?"

"Before the accident." Riza replied. "Dad actually made an effort to be at home for the day."

"And after the accident?"

"It would depend whether dad was at home or not. But there were times that I was able to go with him to wherever he went and we had time to spend together." Riza explained. Before she or Isabelle could say anything else, Roy was back in the room.

"Sorry 'bout that. I had to rummage in one of my boxes to find it."

"It's alright." Riza replied as she stopped playing.

"You didn't have to stop." Roy complained as he set the sheet music down.

"You're going to play." Riza played along.

"Okay, I'm playing, I'm playing… but you have to do something for me."

"And that is?"

"Sing along."

"You're not serious."

"You already did it before with All I Ask of You." Roy pointed out.

"That was for a project."

"Doesn't really make a difference. Come on, don't be modest, you have a great voice, and I'm sure you know this song."

"Which is?"

"Take a Bow."

"You're not serious."

"Come on, be a sport, Riza. It's a lovely song, and it's well within your range."

"I am not heartbroken, Roy Mustang."

"Of course you're not…" He said as he exercised his fingers.

"I would like to hear you sing that song, Riza." Isabelle called out from the couch.

"FINALLY! My own sister agrees with me." Roy exclaimed, thankful.

"Shut it, Roy. I agree with you on this one." Isabelle said grinning.

"It's Christmas, sister… no fighting." Roy replied.

"Can you just play?"

"I'm not playing until Riza agrees to sing."

"Please do it for me, Riza." Isabelle said pleading with her. Riza just laughed. She was rather amused at the exchange of comments of the two siblings. It made her forget her apprehensions at singing a song.

"Oh the heck, it is Christmas. Fine. Start playing and do your sister a favor." Riza said smiling as she put a hand on the top of the piano. Roy's serious face broke out into a smile and he started playing the song.

"_Ohh, how about a round of applause … Hey, standing ovation,  
Ooh, ohh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah_

_You look so dumb right now, standing outside my house, _

_Trying to apologize, you're so ugly when you cry,_

_  
Please, just cut it out."_ She took a deep breath before continuing what she considered the most touching part of the song.

"_Don't tell me you're sorry 'cause you're not,_

_  
Baby when I know you're only sorry you got caught,_

_But you put on quite a show, you really had me goin',_

_  
But now it's time to go, curtains finally closin',  
_

_That was quite a show, very entertainin',_

_But it's over now… Go on and Take a Bow…" _At this moment, Roy's parents and Grumman had come out of the dining room to check out where the music and the singing were coming from. Colleen and Sarah followed them from behind.

"I knew it was them… Isabelle isn't a good singer, so I was sure it was Riza." Colleen whispered to Sarah who giggled. Noticing the small audience, the two suddenly stopped.

"You didn't have to stop playing." James told the two.

"I'm sorry if it was so loud." Riza apologized. Roy stood up and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I asked her to sing a song."

"It's not like that Roy. What I meant is that you shouldn't stop playing because you two sound wonderful together."

"I agree with your father on that dear. I always knew you were talented… even far more musically intelligent than your siblings. And now you've found the perfect partner. From the moment Isabelle told me about you two singing All I Ask of You, I knew you had something special." Cameron noted smiling. "What did you thing Augustus?"

"Frankly, I think the two go rather well together! But of course you kids shouldn't rush things." Grumman noted with a chuckle.

"Grandpa, it's just singing… and we're good friends." Riza responded.

"Nothing is wrong with you two being friends. Actually, I'm happy that you met someone like Roy. I've never seen you so happy. And that's all I want… that will make me happy. All I want is to see you happy."

--

"Riza is such a wonderful child. Very talented." Cameron was telling Augustus when they were back in the dining hall for cakes and tea.

"Yes, she is my favorite among my grandchildren… as much it isn't healthy to favor one over the other, she's the closest to me." He replied, chuckling.

"everyone has their favorites." James replied.

"Yes… she's grown to be such a beautiful girl… now I want to see what she will be when she gets older." Augustus told the two.

"If you don't mind my asking… how did Riza take the news of her parents' death?" Cameron asked as she put sugar in her cup of tea.

"Actually… Riza's mother died when she was quite young. It was a terrible thing, and it was difficult for us to explain to her that her mother will never come home. At first she actually didn't want to look into the coffin, but when her father finally persuaded her to do so, she told him 'Look daddy, mommy's sleeping. Can I give her a kiss?' Ah the innocence of a child. Her father's death was a different story, because this time, Riza is now more mature… although it still hurt her that he died abroad. She never even knew that her father was hiding the fact that he was quite sick already."

"Well we parents would do anything so that our children won't worry about us." James commented. "But it is such a sad fate for anyone, not just Riza, to lose their parents at such a young age."

"I agree. But as I told her before, something better is in store for her, and her parents are now in a better place, watching over her." Augustus said before taking a sip of his tea. "How is it like raising five very talented children?"

"Oh they can be such a handful." Cameron replied. "I remember when Colleen and Isabelle were much younger and they would fight over a Barbie doll. I called it an intellectual battle because even at a young age they used such big words."

"Colleen is a lawyer now… one of the bar exam toppers." James said, proud of his daughter.

"And Isabelle is almost done with her studies, and she'll soon take the licensure exam to be a doctor." Cameron added.

"It must be fun having such a lovely family." Augustus complimented.

"Yes indeed… they make me so happy."

--

After dinner, Roy and his father drove Riza and her grandfather to her apartment. Cameron didn't want them to leave without taking some of her baked cookies.

"Thank you so much for having us over, James." Augustus said as he shook James' gloved hand.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, sir." James replied. "Riza is always welcome in our home, as you are, when you are here. Merry Christmas.!"

"Likewise, Merry Christmas." Augustus replied.

"Merry Christmas, sir." Riza said. "And thank you for having us over."

"We love having you over." Roy replied.

"Well I love every moment with your family… and of course with you." Riza replied with a smile. James and Roy said their final goodbyes before going back to their car. Likewise, Riza and Grumman went into the apartment. When they were inside the car, James turned to his son as they both fastened their seatbelts.

"Son, is it me or you're a bit red in the face?" James asked him, smiling. Roy turned to his father, rather shocked at the comment.

"No, I'm not red! It's just the cold." Roy stammered, as he looked for an excuse.

"If you say so then…" James said snickering as they drove off.

--

"Grandpa are you sure you'd rather sleep on the couch? I mean, you can always use Beatrice's room… she cleared it out anyway."

"No, I'd rather that I won't leave any trace of me being here. I'll be okay on the couch."

"I'm not convinced grandpa." Riza said, her arms crossed.

"I'll be okay dearest… don't you worry yourself."

"Well…" Riza said with a sigh. "If you say so grandpa. I'll just be in my room."

"Wait. Before you go up to your room, come sit here beside me." Grumman said, motioning for her to sit beside him. She smiled and did as she was told. As soon as she was beside him, he got his bag and pulled out a long, slender case.

"I do hope you don't mind a last minute Christmas gift… but this isn't from me." He said as he handed her the box. The box was covered with velvet and there were two letters engraved on the top. The letters have faded out, which told Riza that the box and whatever was in it, was rather old.

"Go on… open it." Her grandfather encouraged her. She slowly opened the case and she saw a silver chain. And at the end of it was a charm shaped like a heart. Tears welled up in her eyes.

"Here… let me help you put it on." Grumman offered as he gently took the necklace and put it around Riza's neck. The two were silent as Riza took a good look at the charm. Her initials 'RH' were engraved on the charm, slightly discolored because it had been bought long ago.

"Open it." Grumman suggested. Riza didn't notice that she could open it until her grandfather said so. She pried it open and there was a small picture inside of it. But it was clear who it was. Riza finally saw her parents again on another Christmas day.

"That necklace has been in my care ever since your mother died. Your father gave it to me for safekeeping and he made me promise that if one day, he wouldn't be able to give it to you… I would come give it to you as their Christmas gift. You were around three in that picture… your mother loved that picture so much." Riza was silent as she listened to her grandfather. "That's also one of the reasons I went here… I knew I had to give it to you, to fulfill my promise to your father. Know that your parents loved you very much, Riza my dear." Riza wiped her eyes dry as she closed the charm.

"Thank you… grandpa… thank you for coming here to be with me. Thank you for keeping it safe." Riza said smiling.

"I miss your mother so much… and of course your father as well, because I know how much he loved you mother." Grumman said as he took of his glasses and wiped them. Riza then remembered the letter in her hiding place.

"Grandpa… I have something to show you." She said as she stood up. "Wait here." She ran up the stairs, went to her closet and took the letter out of its hiding place. Then she quickly went back down and sat beside her grandfather.

"Don't be mad grandpa… and don't tell aunt Maybelle either. When I went back to Crystal Springs for the leadership training, I asked permission to go back to our house from our adviser, and Roy accompanied me there… while I was there, Roy noticed a loose floorboard and we discovered these letters hidden underneath it. So I got them and brought them back here. I've been reading some of the letters… and two nights ago, I noticed that one of them was dated on Christmas day…. So I decided to open it today, but with you with me."

"Let me see?" Grumman motioned, asking for the letter. He examined it and read what was written. "It is your mother's handwriting…" he said softly.

"You can open it grandpa." Riza replied softly. Grumman's fingers tore open the flap and he pulled out a folded piece of paper, slightly yellow now, from the envelope. He took a deep breath before he started reading the letter.

"_To my dearest Riza… Once again, it is Christmas day. I know you're still quite young and you might not have a clear grasp on what Christmas really means (well besides getting all those lovely gifts from your grandfather and us), but one day, when you read this letter, I do hope you finally understand. Merry Christmas my little angel. I would smile whenever you would sit on my lap and ask me when Santa was coming and what he was brining you. Your father enjoyed hearing you sing all those Christmas carols, even if you really didn't know the correct lyrics, but you were young then, and we all go through that stage. You father and I would smile when we see you opening your Christmas gift and never let go of that special doll daddy gave you one Christmas. You carried it around and even gave her a special stool to sit on when you were in the bathroom taking a bath."_ He paused and smiled. He looked at Riza who was tearing up, but still managed to smile at the fond memories.

"I remember the wonderful Christmas dinner we would have. You enjoyed being with your grandfather and you would squeal with delight whenever he took you on piggy back rides, even if he was quite old already. That's how much he loved you. Likewise, when you were sleepy waiting for Santa, daddy would pick you up gently and put you on his back and bring you to your room. We would tuck you in and whisper into your ear that Santa was in the living room, putting your gift under the tree. Christmas was always a special day for us. It was one we would never miss. And I enjoyed it because we could be with you, without many interruptions. I do hope that as you grow older, you learn to appreciate Christmas and learn its true meaning… so even if we are no longer with you, and when you have a family of your own, you could share that same message to your children. Merry Christmas, and we love you Riza. All my love, your mother." Grumman folded the letter and put it back in the envelope. He handed it back to Riza, who held it close to her heart for a moment.

"Thank you my dear for letting me read that… it makes me happy to have heard from your mother even if she has been long gone."

"I draw strength from all of mother's letters… I also read one from daddy. It just keeps me going on." Grumman leaned forward and kissed Riza on her forehead.

"You will be the one who will make me so proud. Remember that, my Riza."

"I love you, grandpa… thank you for the wonderful gifts. I will treasure them forever."

"I love you too my dear. Merry Christmas." Riza leaned forward and gave her grandfather a tight hug.

"Merry Christmas too, grandpa."

--

**That's it for now! I know it's considerably shorter than the past few chapters, yes… :)) But I'll be quite busy since I have an exam soon… and it's almost election campaign season here in the Philippines. So there. Oh and I was just so sad when I read chapter 104. :( It is so heartbreaking (yes no spoilers) Thanks so much for reading! And if you loved it, please feel free to drop me a review. :)**


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